298 On the UtUily of making Family IVines. 



have put it by for trial. It fermented well, and the liquor 

 has at present as promising an appearance as I could wish. 

 Should this mode of making grape wine succeed, it will be 

 by far the cheapest wine we can make in this country ; for 

 the quantity of juice yielded by the grape is so much more 

 abundant, and so much richer than that of our other fruits, 

 and it is so much easier to be gathered and otherwise ma- 

 naged, that it must be much more desirable. The quantity 

 of fruit produced, too, is go much greater when the vines 

 ^re properly managed, than can be gotten from the same 

 extent of ground of other fruits, as to give it a decided pre- 

 ference on the whole. I have just now in my cellar about 

 forty gallons of thac wine made from the grapes that vi^ere 

 gathered from a wall of about fifteen yards in length, and 

 dfteen feet high. Nor was that a crop above the average. 

 jyfeither had that wine above half the quantity of sugar that 

 other fruit wines would have required. I have no doubt 

 that were vines raised from seeds of the best and earliest 

 gorts, and carefully selected when they come to bear, we 

 might thus obtain a grape tlut would ripen very well in this 

 country tvithout the assistance of a wall. It is by no means 

 improbable that such a vine was once known in England. 



" Next to the vine, I agree with you in thinking tliat the 

 black currant is the best fruit we have of that kind for making 

 wine. I have seen some of it that was truly excellent. It 

 would be of great use for giving flavour to some other wines. 



'^ When I began this letter I thought that I had nothing 

 to say ; but being once begun, it has run on to an enormous 

 Jength. I hope you will forgive me for it. I now speak 

 little, and write less : and it requires an effort for me to 

 begin with either; but, like a disorderly clock, when I ara 

 once fairly set a going, I run on perhaps without rhime or 

 reason. Wishing you success in all your useful pursuits, n 

 "- I remain, dear sir, 



" Your most humble servant, 



^' James Anderson." 

 To jSlr. MaUhcws. 



LI. 01;- 



