AND WINE MAKING. 237 



greatly, it becomes necessary to take into account all 

 these differences, weigh them rationally, and conform 

 the treatment of the young must to them. 



The construction of the cellar and the fermenting 

 room is the first object for consideration. The cellar 

 for keeping the wine, after it is fermented, should 

 be under ground, so as to maintain an even temper- 

 ature the year around. Our hillsides afford abun- 

 dant good and convenient sites for cellars, and the 

 northern slope of a hill inclining toward the south 

 or southeast, would be my choice. If building stone 

 is conveniently attainable, that is, of course, the best 

 and most durable material. In its absence good double 

 walls of redwood or concrete may be used. The en- 

 trance to the cellar should be level with the lower side 

 of the slope upon which the house is built, so that any 

 water which may find access in winter can drain off. 

 From this the slope should rise twelve or fourteen 

 feet, so that all but the front of the lower story shall 

 be wholly below the ground. The width and length 

 must depend upon the capacity desired. Forty feet 

 wide by sixty feet long will give ample room for thirty 

 thousand gallons, which may be increased to forty 

 thousand if thousand-gallon casks are used for the lower 

 tier, with smaller casks on top of them. This will 

 admit of four rows of thousand-gallon casks, five on 

 each side, two rows in the middle, and one at the end, 

 with walks in and around the middle, ample room for 

 racking and working, and necessary space to get around 

 the casks next to the walls. These casks should be of 

 oak, as that wood is much better for keeping wine of 

 any kind. New oak casks can be bought for seven to 

 eight cents per wine gallon, though second-hand casks 

 in good condition can often be obtained at much lower 

 rates, and are even preferable to new, provided they have 

 been kept sweet and in good condition. 



