8 ON THE ART OF MAKING WINE. 



in wine-making than the gooseberry ; and as the 

 produce of each is attended with some difference, 

 I shall notice them separately. Both from the 

 white and red sort, wines are made, which differ 

 principally in colour, but also vary slightly in fla- 

 vour, though the flavour of neither is very charac- 

 teristic. 1 have ascertained by repeated trials, 

 that a principal defect in these wines, as commonly 

 fabricated, arises from the sparing proportion in 

 which the fruit is used, which otherwise contains 

 a sufficient quantity qf natural acid, as well as ex- 

 tractive matter, to ensure a perfect fermentation, 

 if properly managed. Partly from this cause, as 

 well as from the imperfect management of the fer- 

 mentation, these wines are usually made sweet. 

 They are also, not uncommonly, nauseous, as well 

 from the combination of a natural bad flavour 

 v/ith this mawkish sweetness, as from the other 

 improprieties of management before noticed. By 

 increasing the quantity of fruit, (which is gene- 

 rally proportioned like that for gooseberry wine,) 

 and by avoiding the use of the husks, the flavour 

 is materially improved, and the quality of the wine 

 further ameliorated, the fabricator at the same 

 time acquiring the power of making his wine 

 sweet or dry ; whereas, according to the present 

 mode, he is generally unable to produce the latter 

 variety. The natural tendency of this fruit is 

 to form a wine analogous to the lighter white 

 of the grape, and it is a rational object to 



