512 THE VINEYARD. [SEPT. 



generally, however, without rule. It would be impossible to pre- 

 scribe a certain number of days for -an operation liable to so many 

 vicissitudes, as much through the qualities of the grapes as other 

 circumstances. But as the great object of fermentation is the con- 

 version of the must or expressed juice into wine, no drawing should 

 take place until that is effected. This moment, which might ap- 

 pear uncertain, may be ascertained with tolerable precision by means 

 of a tin tube open at one end and perforated all over with holes of a 

 small size, that the grains or stones of the fruit may not pass through 

 when dipped into the vat; inside of this a small wooden cylinder 

 must be placed, upheld at its bottom by a cork plate that can work 

 up and down freely in the tube : this instrument is to be plunged 

 into the vat and kept there, the liquor getting in through 4ie holes 

 of the tube, will raise the cork to the surface, to which cork the 

 wooden pin or cylinder is affixed. This latter must be marked in 

 different heights, which will be seen to rise as the vinous fermenta- 

 tion increases. 



With this instrument, the precise moment in which the wine is to 

 be drawn off, may be established with great exactness ; this is gene- 

 rally done when the cylinder has attained to the highest and become 

 stationary, the fermenting mass always swelling in bulk till the vin- 

 ous fermentation is completely accomplished, becoming then station- 

 ary previous to the commencement of an acetous fermentation, and 

 sinking with that, which if suffered without drawing off the liquor, 

 would ruin all. Berthollet and other authors recommend not to 

 draw off the wine till you are able to perceive the cylinder begin to 

 lower a little. 



When the liquor is drawn off into clean sweet casks, place them in 

 the cellar, fill them up within an inch or two of the top, and lay a 

 piece of leather with a small weight on it over each bung- hole that 

 may yield to a second fermentation, which generaly takes place. 

 When the wine has settled or ceased to ferment, bung the casks as 

 close as possible, and the subsequent -treatment is exactly the same 

 as directed for white wines. 



In the making of red wines it is customary to mix with the fruit a 

 small portion of what is called the claret grape, to heighten the color, 

 as the entire juice of this variety is of a deep red. 



It is also customary, and even necessary, with wine of a weak body, 

 made from newly established vineyards, or from worn-out old ones, 

 to add two or three gallons of very nice brandy, and five or six of old 

 strong wine of the same color, and as near the intended flavor as 

 possible, to every hogshead of sixty or sixty-three gallons of the new 

 wine ; this is usually done after the fermentation is over. 



In Spain and other parts of Europe, if the season proves wet, or 

 if they think the must or expressed juice too replete with watery par- 

 ticles, they boil the whole or part thereof, to evaporate the super- 

 abundance ; but this is done immediately after the juice is expressed 

 before the least fermentation takes place. 



The evaporation ought not to be by an intense ebullition, and 

 although the fire may be ardent, the ebullition may be prevented by 



