208 



The Grape Culturist. 



taste is pleasing, sweet, and delightful ; 

 but let him press the skin a little harder, 

 and he will get a taste as of fresh tan- 

 bark, which will draw his tongue to- 

 gether. It contains too much tannin 

 and acid, very good ingredients, which 

 are necessary in every wine, but which, 

 when present in it to evcess, become 

 disagreeable and unwholesome. For 

 the purpose of harmonizing and toning 

 down these discrepancies, God has 

 given us our reason, and we, for one, 

 are going to use it. 



Our friend further asserts, that it is 

 a grand mistake that our sparkling 

 Avines are as good as their favorite 

 Champagne. AVe trust that we have, 

 as a nation, also progressed in the 

 manufacture of sparkling wines, and 

 we can boldly and safely assert, that 

 the majority of our sparkling wines 

 are better than the majority of im- 

 ported Champagne. And it is here where 

 the superiority of gallized wines will 

 again manifest itself. They will make 

 a much smoother and more delicate 

 sparkling than the so called j^ure juice 

 wines. 



That all the best and most skillful 

 wine makeis, of Europe and of Amer- 



ica, now follow Dr. Gall's method, {with 

 moderations and alterations, of course,) 

 is a fact which patient and thorough 

 researches have enabled us to establish 

 without fear of successful contradic- 

 tion. That many of them still keep it 

 secret, after denying it in public, when 

 they follow it in private, is a lamenta- 

 ble, but nevertheless true, fact. We 

 have established this Journal for the 

 purpose of collecting the best informa- 

 tion and experience from all parts of 

 the countr}^ and we fee! that so impor- 

 tant a subject can not be excluded 

 from its columns. We shall be glad 

 to have the other side discussed, and 

 request our friends to do so, always 

 with that courtesy and kindly feeling 

 which an honest difference of opinion 

 should command. We think that wine 

 if good " needs no bush," neither to 

 hide it nor to a'lvertise it, and that the 

 quality should rule, not the way in 

 which it was made. If it is pleasant 

 to the palate, and leaves no bad 

 effects, if it acts as a gentle stimulant, 

 inspiriting and invigorating : in short, 

 if it is 2^ieasant and healthy, it is goody 

 no matter how made, whether gallized 

 or so called i)ure grape juice. — [Ed. 



We must ask pardon of our readers, 

 and also of our contributors, for the 

 omission of several valuable contribu- 

 tions, which were crowded out of this 

 number. We try to give such matter 

 each month as seems to us to be most 

 timely and pressing, and among these 

 we count the queries of our correspond- 

 ents, contained in the "Letter Box." 

 We are glad to see the lively interest 

 manifested ; it cheers us on in our 



editorial duties, and all of our corres- 

 pondents and contributors may rest 

 assured that their communications are 

 always icelcome^ and our readers will 

 have the fidl benefit thereof as speedily 

 as possible. — Editor. 



TiiK continuation of "Causes of Fail- 

 ure in Grape Culture" our readers will 

 find in the August number. Our valued 

 correspondent was prevented from fur- 

 nishing his manuscript in time. — Ed. 



