290 THE MANUFACTURE OF WINE. 



stand in casks filled three-fourths full. Fermentation 

 speedily sets in; the saccharine matter becomes con- 

 verted into carbonic acid, which escapes, and alcohol, 

 which remains in combination with the fluid, and 

 gives it the character of wine. At first the fermen- 

 tation is very violent, but after a time it moderates, 

 when the casks should be filled up, lightly bunged, 

 and kept during winter in a temperately cool apart- 

 ment. In spring it should be carefully drawn off, 

 either by means of a syphon or through a hole bored 

 into the cask some distance above the bottom, so as 

 to avoid disturbing the lees. After this, fermentation 

 should be avoided as much as possible, which is best 

 effected by a low temperature and the exclusion of 

 oxygen. It is generally considered best, we believe, 

 to leave the wine at least one season in the cask into 

 which it has been drawn off. In some cases it is kept 

 for years in the " wood," as it is termed. 



Wine can of course be made of any kind of grape, 

 though in and around Cincinnati the Catawba is 

 altogether preferred. Tolerable wine has been made 

 of the Isabella, and in the hands of Dr. Underhill it 

 has proved of superior excellence for this purpose. 

 But for all northern localities we think the Clinton 

 promises to be the wine grape. When carefully 

 pruned and thinned, so as to get fair bunches instead 

 of the load of little sour trash usually seen, the 

 Clinton grape is peculiarly rich in saccharine and 

 saline matter. Of its wine-making qualities Nicho- 

 las Longworth speaks as follows in a letter to " The 

 Horticulturist :" 



