242 



THE GRAPE. 



J), — Opening through which the stems are thrown from the ma- 

 chine. 



E. — Tables for picking over and assorting the fruit previous to 



being stemmed. 



i^.— Stemming and crushing apparatus. 



G, — Large press, capacity of one hundred bushels. 



/7.— Small press, capacity of forty bushels. 



L. — Door opening into the basement. 



Signs of Ripeness of Grapes. — The stem of the grape should he 

 of a brown color. The cuticle of the berry must be clear and 

 transparent. The berries should separate easily from the stems. 

 The seed must be of brown color. The juice must be sweet and 

 jrticky. 



Do not cut the grapes early in the morning with the dew on, nor 

 during rainy weather, nor shortly after rain. 



Gathering.— The grapes, when fully ripe, are gathered in baskets 

 containing about one bushel, as well as in a sort of " pannier " of 

 wood, made very light and strong, and which is supported by straps, 

 or thongs of willow, on the back of the gatherer. 



Picking. — This consists in removing by hand, all green, shriveled 

 or decayed grapes, which are thrown into tubs or barrels and 

 pressed separately, to make a common wine or vinegar. The finest 

 grapes are carried thence to the stemmmg apparatus where they un- 

 dergo another operation. 



Stemming. — Consists in separating the berries from the stem ; it 

 is done in F. (of the ground plan) by means of the apparatus of 

 which a cut is appended. 



The grapes are thrown on 

 the wire sieve M.., which is 

 open enough to allow the 

 berries to pass, but retains 

 the stems ; a little plank P., 

 is held in an inclined position, 

 to which a backward and for- 

 ward movement is given, 

 so as to force the berries 

 through the sieve, and re- 

 move out of the way all the 

 stems as they are stript. 



Mashing. — After passing 

 through the stemming pro- 

 cess, the grapes fall into a 

 wooden mill, consisting of two rollers ridged obliquely, to one oi 



