98 THE AMERICAN VINE DRESSER'S GUIDE. 



the grape would retard fermentation ; and the 

 wine would be weak and very liable to spoil. 

 Cut off the grapes with scissors ; by that 

 means you save the plant and you have your 

 grapes clean. Collect them in small tubs, 

 and not in baskets, so that none of the juice 

 may be lost. 



In the same vineyard there are almost al- 

 ways various qualities of grapes which arrive 

 at maturity at intervals of several days : you 

 must be careful to have them picked at differ- 

 ent times. In such cases, wait until all your 

 grapes are gathered before you begin the pro- 

 cess of treading ; unless you desire to make 

 superior wines, when the best are chosen, and 

 trodden separately. 



If you wish to make good white wine, you 

 must wait until the grapes are perfectly ripe ; 

 even to make the delicious Sauterne, the 

 grapes from the same vine are gathered at 

 several intervals, and care is taken to cut off 

 only those that are half rotten. 



