39 
of our grapes ; twenty pounds is a sixteen quart basket. It is too large, and I think 
if that basket were entirely done away with it would be much better. A basket such 
as peaches and plums are shipped in, aud which holds sixteen pounds, is fully large 
enough. ‘The cheaper grapes are usually shipped in the larger baskets. 
.—Don’t you get better returns from small packages than large ones, when they 
are nicely put up? 
Mr. Perrit.—A few years ago, when the smaller baskets came into use, I think we 
did asa rule, but there is very little difference now. 
Q.—For early grapes or choice varieties, would not the small packages yield the 
best returns? 
Mr, Pertir.—Yes, I think they would. 
Q.—-What varieties do you find bring the best returns, in shipping ? 
Mr. Perrit.—The Worden, Concord and Rogers No. 4 are what I would plant in 
our locality for black ; and for red, Delaware, Lindley, Brighton, Agawam, and Catawba 
in some sections. For white, Niagara stands the season pretty well, and is such an 
enormous yielder that it is far morg profitable than any other white grape. 
Q.—How do you find Salem in your section ? 
Mr, Periir.—lIt is more liable to mildew than most of the red Rogers, besides, if we 
get a shower when ripe, they burst badly ; but for winter use I do not think we have a 
grape in Ontario to beat it. 
' Q,—Have you tried Amber Queen? 
Mr. Perrit.—Yes, but not to any extent. 
PURE GRAPE WINE FOR HOME USE. 
The President announced that Mr. E. Girardot, secretary of the Vine Growers’ Asso- 
ciation of Sandwich, would answer the question, ‘‘ What is the simplest way to make a 
small quantity of pure grape wine for home use?” 
Mr. Grtrarpor.—I believe I have undertaken quite a task in answering this ques 
tion, for it takes nearly as much time and knowledge to make a small quantity 
as to make a Jarge quantity. I will explain, however, just as I would to some of my 
neighbors if they asked me, First, the person making it should know a little of the 
nature of the grape. Now the grape itself consists of the skin, which holds the coloring 
matter, and part of the tannin of the grape; the juicy or watery part, which contains 
the sugary part of the grape; and the pulpy part, the fleshy matter, which contains 
tartaric acid; and the fourth part or element is the seed, which does not go into the 
making of wine. It contains a kind of volatile oil which you may call fusil oil, which 
would be a nuisance in wine if it were crushed when the grapes are crushed to make 
wine. In some parts of the country here the wine makers prefer to take the stems 
away from the grapes. This, in my opinion, is not right, because the stem of the grape 
contains a great amount of tannin, which is the preservative element in wine, and has 
the effect of making it keep for years, which it would not otherwise do. Of course in 
order to make a small quantity of wine one should know what amount of grapes to buy. 
Well, it is generally recognized that from eighteen to twenty pounds of grapes is 
sufficient to make one gallon of wine. The next thing is a vessel to ferment that wine 
in, and for this [ would recommend a whiskey barrel. ‘lake out the head, and in the 
bottom put a bundle of straw, and over that straw put a brick well cleaned, and then 
make a hole and put ina faucet. Next comes the pressing of the grapes. You may 
take a small vessel and in it put a certain quantity of grapes and crush them enough to 
break the berry, and then put them in the barrel. Do not fill the barrel completely, 
because the carbonic acid gas makes the wine rise, and if it is too full it will overflow 
and you will lose the wine. Generally the vessel should not be filled more than two- 
thirds ; one-third should be left for fermentation. Now, there is a great question in 
