120 THE AMERICAN VINE-DRESSER'S GUIDE. 



As for wine in bottles, it is best to pile 

 in tiers, with alternate layers of sand. 



OF GRAPE PRESERVES. 



To make this excellent sw r eetmeat, the 

 sweetest grapes are chosen, and so ripe that 

 the largest portion of them have already com- 

 menced to spoil. They are first bruised and 

 the juice strained through a cloth and put in 

 a vessel on the fire immediately, and then you 

 add whatever other fruit you may prefer, and 

 which has been cut into quarters and hall- 

 cooked beforehand. Let the whole simmer 

 gently so that the juice shall be reduced grad- 

 ually by at least one-half, and do not forget to 

 scum. There is a means of knowing to a cer- 

 tainty when this dainty is sufficiently cooked, 

 and which is to pour a little upon some wrap- 

 ping paper : if it does not penetrate the paper 

 entirely, it is cooked enough. It may then be 

 taken oif the fire, and put into pots to be closed 



