120 Analysis of Scientific Books. 



they give of the effects of their transplantation : and that they con 

 fined their attention to such as were found to answer best with 

 particular soils, may be inferred from the manner in which they 

 describe certain spots as planted with a single species ; as for ex- 

 ample the hills of Sorrento and Vesuvius, wbich were covered with 

 the small Aminean grape. There is, in fact, no part of the writings 

 of the ancient agriculturists which is more deserving of being re- 

 called to notice, than those passages in which they declaim against 

 the bad effects of the promiscuous culture of many varieties of the 

 vine, and recommend the husbandman to plant only such as are 

 of good and approved quality. But as all are not equally hardy. 

 Columella thinks it may be well, in order to guard against a failure 

 of the crop from unfavourable seasons, to keep three or four, or at 

 most five sorts, which will be amply sufficient for the purpose. 

 These he would dispose in separate divisions of the vineyard, so 

 that the fruit of each may be kept apart, and gathered by itself 

 when it ripens. In this way, he observes, the labour and expense 

 of the vintage will be lessened, the mixture of ripe and unripe 

 grapes will be in a great measure avoided, the genuine flavour of 

 each sort will be preserved entire in the must, and improve in the 

 wine, until it has reached its utmost perfection."— Pp. 31-32. 



In low and warm situations the vintage began in September, 

 but it was in most places deferred till October. The juice, when 

 too thin or watery, was olten evaporated, and when its fermenta- 

 tion in the vat had ceased, it was generally at once introduced into 

 the vessels in which it was intended to remain for use. Of these 

 vessels the most ancient were probably composed of the skins of 

 animals, but as the arts improved vessels of clay were substituted, 

 and the method of rendering them impervious by a glazing being 

 then unknown, they were coaled with pitch, in order to prevent 

 the transudation of the liquor; these vessels were sometimes large 

 enough to hold upwards of three hogsheads, and it was customary 

 to protect them by leaden or oaken hoops. In the vicinity of the 

 Alps, in Illyria, and elsewhere, wood being abundant, wine-casks 

 were occasionally made of that material. Glass was probably very 

 rarely employed ; at the supper of 'J'rimalcio, however, so admir- 

 ably depicted by Petronius, even amphorae of glass are said to have 

 been introduced. 



The vessels containing the wines were either placed in the open 

 air, or in cellars, where they were properly arranged and labelled ; 

 they were also often exposed to warmth to bring them early to per- 

 fection. 



" The ancients were careful to rack their wines only when the 

 wind was northerly, as they had observed that they were apt to 

 be turbid when it blew in an opposite direction. The weaker 

 sorts were transferred in the spring to the vessels in which they 

 were destined to remain ; the stronger kinds, during summer; h\i\, 



