GRAPE CULTURE AXD WI>'I-: MAKIXG. 507 



appearing on the green berries. As soon as His discovered, 

 dust with lime, which will in some measure stay its progress. 



Wine Making in this country, is yet in its infancy, but is 

 destined to become an extensive and profitable branch of pro- 

 duction. Grapes for wine should be fully ripe. Grapes that 

 can well be gathered for market the middle or last of August 

 should be left a month longer for wine. A little frost will not 

 injure them. Those that are fully ripe the last of September 

 can be gathered and made up then, and those bunches not ripe 

 will ripen the sooner if the others are picked off. All unripe 

 berries and all that have begun to decay should be cut out. 

 The grape scissors before described, which both cut and hold 

 the bunches, are the best for this purpose. The utmost clean- 

 liness must be observed in gathering and assorting the grr.pea 

 and in every operation connected with wine , making, as the 

 chief value of the wine is flavor, and a very little negligence 

 will spoil the flavor of a batch. Before giving the process of 

 making wine we will explain the terms used. Bottles should 

 be of very tough glass, and thoroughly cleaned with coarse 

 sand; oleaning with shot is very objectionable. Casks for 

 fermenting wine, should be large, say four hundred gallons, but 

 the vintner must have all sizes. The large casks should be of 

 well seasoned oak staves, about five feet long and one and a 

 half or two inches thick, bound with iron bands, perfectly 

 smooth inside, with a door on one end large enough to let in 

 a boy to wash it out. When new they should first be washed 

 in lime water. After the cask is emptied, let in a boy to scrub 

 the side thoroughly before filling again. 



Cellar. Any good cellar, kept free from frost, will keep 

 the wine the first winter, and if it. clears well, it can be sold 

 before warm weather ; but a good cellar is a great convenience 

 where any large quantity is to be made. Three considerations 



