204 AMERICAN GRAPE OttOWINQ 



kept up, that, tho laborers do not drop crumbs of broad, 

 oto., among the grapes, as these will cause aeotous formon- 

 tation. Tho weather should bo dry and fair, and tho 

 grapes dry when gathered. 



MAKING TIIIC WIN 1C. 



Tho apparatus being all ready, wo c!m oommonoo opera- 

 tions, and horo wo must know, first and foremost, what 

 kind of wino we intend to make, whether light-colored 

 and smooth, or dark-colored and astringent. The ehar- 

 acter of the wine depends ehiofly on its fermentation on 

 tho husks, although of eourso wo eannot make an entirely 

 white wino out of a grape with very dark juiee, nor a red 



wine, except by artificial coloring, out of a while grape, 



or 0110 with very light-colored juieo. Tho general rule 

 is, however, that fermentation draws aeid, tannin, color, 

 and flavor out of tho skins and stems, so that if wo desiro 

 to develop the greatest amount of these, we must let tho 

 must remain longer on tho husks ; if, on tho eontrary, 

 we desire a mild, smooth wine, it should not I'ennenl long 

 on the husks. Many of I he red wines of Kurope -ire left 

 on the husks for several months, and tho wino is drawn 

 from them when it. is about finished. 



To mako white, or light-colored, smooth wino, tho 

 grapes which were Dithered ;ind mashed during I he day 

 e;m be pressed and put into the cask during the following 

 night. The mill is placed above the fermenting vat, 

 and the grapes are mashed as soon as I hey are earned in, 

 or hauled to the press house. The vat is covered wilh a 

 cloth during tho day. If the season has boon good, and 

 yon have a perfe.-i grape to deal with, such a one as has 

 all tho ingredients of a good wine in tho proper propor- 

 tions, it will make good wine without, any other addition. 

 If not, sugar, or sugar and water, must be added, but I 

 w ill speak of this in a separate chapter. With the (-011- 

 cord grape, many make both a white and a red wine. Tho 



