g 0:i the Vine. 



The grapes which are exported from France and Spain, are packed' 

 in ahernate layers of saw-dust, which has been thoroughly dried in 

 an oven: and we are assured that grapes may be preserved a year, 

 by being gathered in the afternoon of a dry day, and enclosed in a 

 dry, tight cask, being laid singly and in layers, between alternate 

 layers of thoroughly kiln-dried bran. 



Sherbet constitutes a cooling and wholesome drink of the Moham- 

 medans. It consists of the unfermented juice of the grape, mixed 

 with water, sugar and spices. 



The unfermented juice of the grape, which constitutes the essen- 

 tial element of wine, are 1st, water; 2d, sugar; 3d, tartaric acid ; 

 4th, mucilage ; each in different proportions. But after fermenta- 

 tion, wine contains, by chemical analysis, 1st, water; 2d, alcohol ; 

 3d, sugar ; 4th, tartaric, carbonic and malic acids. It also contains 

 tannin, a coloring matter, and a volatile oil. 



Gross or watery wines are extremely difficult to preserve and 

 manage. It is far otherwise with those which contain a suitable pro- 

 portion of the essential elements ; these being comparatively of very 

 easy management. Where the elementary principles are deficient, 

 they should be added at once, in the beginning, and before the fer- 

 mentation has commenced. 



In Modern France, sugar is now added, when its presence is 

 essentially wanting ; and vineyards which before would never make 

 any, or but poor wine, are now, by this addition alone, rendered pro- 

 ductive in good wine ; and the sugar produced from the potato is 

 now, it is said, much used for this purpose in that country ; and for 

 this use it seems to be peculiarly adapted, its taste being intermediate 

 between the sugar of the cane and the sugar produced from the 

 grape. 



From a pound and a half of potato starch, one pound and a quarter 

 of crystalline brown sugar has been obtained. And starch, according 

 to Davy, is converted into sugar, by the very simple process of boil- 

 ing in very diluted sulphuric acid. 100 parts of starch, 400 )>arts of 

 water, and 1 part of sulphuric acid, by weight, are kept boiling for 

 forty hours ; the loss of water, by evaporation, being supplied by new 

 quantities. The acid is to be neutralized, by lime, precisely as the 

 acid which is contained in the juice of the sugar-cane is neutralized, 

 and the sugar is crystallized by cooling. 



The moderate use of good wine is deemed wholesome, especially 

 to convalescents recovering from malignant fevers, and to those of 

 debilitated habits, as it accelerates the circulation. On the other 

 hand, its too liberal or immoderate use undermines the constitution, 

 and lays the foundation of a train of diseases. It paralyses the men- 

 tal faculties, and induces those disorders of body, which not uncom- 

 monly terminate in death. 



The vine is propagated by layers, also by cuttings, which should 

 be cut with two or three eyes, and cut close below the lowest eye. 



