•] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



25s 



is in the mixture of the various qualities when the 

 fermentation of the wine in cask is complete about 

 Christmas time. It requires a careful intelligence 

 to buy judiciously at the time of the vendanges, 

 and to prophesy correctly concerning the ultimate 

 value of the perfected grape ; but the great art is i 

 when the proportions of fermented juice are poured | 

 into the huge mixing vat in the cool cellars of the 

 manufactory. 



I was struck with the cleanliness, decorum, and 

 cheerful character of all employed on the various 

 vineyards I have visited. There was no noise or 

 disturbance anywhere, and wherever I found the 

 laborers, hard at work among the vines, dressing 

 the grapes for the press, or returning from their 

 work,, there was the same order, civility, and 

 -frequent merriment. The adjacent towns, villages, 

 farms, and barns fairly accommodate this influx 

 of visitors, and, so far as I could see, there were 

 no signs whatever of drunkenness or disorder. 

 The pickers are summoned by beat of drum at 

 daybreak each morning in the market-place of the 

 ■villages adjacent to the vineyards, and then and 

 there a price is made for the day's labor. This 

 varies according to the work required to be done 

 and the speed with which it is necessary to accom- 

 plish it. The bargain struck, away go men, women, 

 and children into the vineyard, each provided with 

 a small basket and a pocket knife, curved like a reap- 

 ing hook. They are divided into gangs, each headed 

 by an overseer, and as the small hand baskets are 

 filled they are carried to the end of the row, where 

 specially selected hands are employed in what is 

 called dressing the grapes for the press. In what 

 are known as good years this operation is* con. 

 sidered useless, and the manufacturer is compelled 

 to purchase the vintage, good and bad together, 

 just as it comes from the field. But any such 

 reckless system is utterly impossible in most of 

 the vineyards this year. At Verzenay, for instance, 

 will be found a considerable quantity of rottenness, 

 much worm-eaten and mildewed fruit, which if 

 pressed in its present condition would assuredly 

 have the effect of tainting the wine. So the 

 system of dressing, happily for the manufacturer, 

 is almost universal. 



Each bunch as it is tumbled into the crate at 

 the side of the vineyard is carefully gone over by 

 female fingers ; the bad and cankered parts are 

 rejected, diseased stalks are pruned away, and 

 some attempt is made to send the grapes to the 

 press in a decent condition. But even this hurried 

 inspection is not all that could be desired, and the 

 sharpest eye is apt to be deceived, particularly in 



the Verzenay vintage of this year. We frequently 

 discovered in the very heart of what looked a 

 regular well-grown bunch, a grape or so absolutely 

 rotten and capable of infecting its companions 

 when they were heaped together in the press. The 

 dressed fruit, when carefully finished and inspected, 

 is quickly borne away in carts to the nearest press, 

 usually situated in the village, and the refuse re- 

 maining represents the loss in quantity to the pro- 

 prietor. The general color of the grape in the 

 Rheims district is black ; but there are celebrated 

 vineyards, such as Cramant, which only grow 

 white grapes. It will occur, doubtless, to some- 

 one to ask if the laborers are permitted to go upon 

 the old hospitable principle of "eat what you like 

 and pocket none." Nearly every sensible pro- 

 prietor places no restriction on the obvious tempta- 

 j tion of the enjoyment of ripe grapes on a hot day. 

 I It is found far the most economical plan in the 

 end, for the first day's debauch ends in such 

 serious inconvenience, and very often loss of 

 wages, that the grapes are left alone from that 

 moment. Women and children are found to be 

 the most skilful pickers, and the men are for the 

 most part employed in carrying the baskets to 

 and fro, emptying the crates, and loading the 



wagons. 



•-•-» 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



To Intelligent Correspondents.—^// com- 

 munications relating to advertisements, subscrip- 

 tions, or other business, must be addressed to the 

 publisher, 814 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. 



All referring to the reading matter of the maga- 

 zine must be mailed to the editor, Germantown, Pu, 



No express packages for the editor received un- 

 less prepaid ; and marked " Paid through to Ger- 

 mantown, Pa'' 



William Brown. — Just as we go to press we 

 have word of the death of William Brown, a promi- 

 nent seed collector, of Montreal, Canada. It oc- 

 curred on the 6th of July. Mr. Brown was well 

 and favorably known in the United States, as well 

 as in Canada. 



Samuel Kinsey. — It is with much regret we 

 have to announce the death of Samuel Kinsey, a 

 prominent nurseryman, of Kinsey's Station, Ohio. 

 Mr. Kinsey belonged to the Nurserymen's Associa- 

 tion, and it was from one of the members of that 

 body that we had the information of his death. He 

 had done much to build up the nursery business 

 in Ohio, and he was Very generally esteemed. 



