248 



The Grape Culturist. 



would it be better to wait till after next 

 fall (1870), when some of the vines set 

 out this spring will bear. And, if you 

 think it would be safe to go on, which 

 kind of vines would you advise me to 

 plant. I shall take your advice in the 

 matter, and act accordingly. 



Hoping to hear from you soon, I am 

 yours very trul3^ Joseph Goodman. 



[We do not think your climate is too 

 hot, if you plant mostly Norton's Vir- 

 ginia, Herbemont, Cunningham, and 

 Cynthiana, We would advise 3^ou to 

 observe your vines closely this season, 

 and plant most of those which grow 

 healthy and free from mildew. If your 

 soil is underlaid with gravel, it is natur- 

 ally drained ; unless the white clay you 

 speak of holds water it should be well 

 adapted to grapes. It is, of course, 

 difficult for us to advise, as we have no 

 experience in your region. If you 

 plant, we would advise you to plant in 

 fall.— Ed.] 



Editor Grape Culturist : As I have 

 grown some grapes in ray time, and also 

 made some wine that seemed good to 

 myself, and was so pronounced by 

 others who were considered good 

 judges, you will pardon me for asking 

 the following questions, as I am anxious 

 to know more about the names of dif- 

 ferent wines : 



What is meant by a still, dry wine 

 (I thought all wines were wet) ? 



What is hock, and is it of but one 

 color ? 



Heavy wines mean those with most 

 alcohol, do they not? 



What is a claret, a Burgundy, or a 

 sherry ? 



A sparkling Avine is one that efter- 

 vesces when poured out into the glass, 



is it ? and a still wine is a wine that 

 does not? 



In fact, the meaning of all these 

 names will be gratifj'ingto your corres- 

 pondent, and no doubt to many others, 

 who may be as little versed in these 

 matters as himself. 



Yours truly, Montgomery. 



June 15, 1869. 



[Wines are generally divided into 

 still and sjxirkling wines. Still wines 

 are all those which do not contain car- 

 bonic acid ; sparkling wines contain so 

 much of it that the^' will eff-rvesce and 

 throw up bubbles when the wine is 

 poured into glasses. The French dis- 

 tinguish yet another class, those wines 

 which contain so little carbonic acid 

 that it is only perceptible to the taste. 

 They are called "non mousseux." Dry 

 wines we call all those in which the 

 sugar contained in the must has, by the 

 process of fermentation and age, en- 

 tirely disappeared. 



The appellations of "Hock" and 

 "Claret " originated in England. All 

 white wines imported from Germany, 

 especially from the Rhine, were called 

 "Hock," an abbreviation and corrup- 

 tion of " Hochheimer," one of the most 

 popular and best Rhenish wines ; and 

 all red wines imported from France, 

 especially from Bordeaux, were called 

 "Claret." Burgundy is the wine grown 

 in the French province of Burgundy, 

 and Sherry is, or should be, a Spanish 

 wine imported from Xeres, in Spain. 



Heavy wines are those which con- 

 tain a large per centage of alcohol. 

 Those wines which, besides a large per 

 cent, of alcohol, also contain sugar, are 

 called liqueur or sweet wines. — Ed.] 



Mr. Editor : — I thought it my duty 



