Editor's Letter Box. 



283 



and they call it cat wine. I had thought 

 of selling the grapes this year, but the 

 price is down too low. Cannot this 

 strong flavor be reduced by sugar and 

 water? Tell me the proportions you 

 use. Cannot Agawam, Eogers, Clin- 

 ton, and other high flavored grapes be 

 treated in the same way? Will the 

 same treatment improve Taylor's Bul- 

 litt? How long should they stand on 

 the skins with the sugar and water? 

 My grapes are getting ripe — things 

 are pushing — shall have to commence 

 the vintage in a few days. I know 

 you are busy, but a few lines in reply 

 will greatly oblige 



Yours, truly, 



E. A. Thompson. 



[We did not expect, after the spicy 

 controversy we have had with you on 

 the subject of gallizing, that you would 

 ever ask advice from us about "that 

 vile adulteration which was ruining 

 the reputation of our native wines," 

 and other like expressions. But truth 

 and reason are mightier than preju- 

 dice, and will prevail, and we are glad 

 to welcome you among the converts. 

 Better late than never, and we will 

 give you as good advice as we can. 



The Diana has a very strong /e^i'ne 

 flavor, and the pure juice will certain- 

 ly not make a pleasant wine. You 

 should have gathered them early, when 

 not too ripe, and to every gallon of 

 must add a gallon of water, bringing 

 it up to 80'^ by Oechsle's scale, with 

 the addition of sugar. The whole 

 mixture should show 80°, and if the 

 must does not come up to it^ sugar 

 must be added to it. You can ferment 

 on the husks for four or five days, 

 and then press. The same rule will 

 apply to other strong flavored grapes. 



The stronger the peculiar aroma, the 

 less ripe the grapes should be allowed 

 to become, and the more water and 

 sugar used. 



Try and experiment, you will soon 

 find the proper proportions, and do 

 not forget to report results to Grape 

 CULTURIST. — Ed.] 



ToLONO, 111., August 25, 1870. 



Mr. Geo. Husmann, Bluffton : 



Dear Sir~I send you by express^ 

 pre-paid, some gi*apes for you to iden- 

 tify, if they arrive in condition for do- 

 ing so. You can see from them how 

 much I have been swindled. You 

 can report in Grape Culturist or by 

 letter, as you think best. 



No. 1 is what I have for Wilder's. 

 No. 2 for Merrimac. No. 3 for Cas- 

 sad}'. No. 4 for Perkins'. No. 5 for 

 Black Hawk. No. 6 for Eulander. 

 No. 7 for Concord Seedling. No. 8 

 for Concord Seedling. 



If No. 3 is Cassad}^ I don't like it. 

 Its leaves are tender and fruit not very 

 good. No. 5 is worst of all. I know 

 it is no Black Hawk ; it is the poorest 

 I ever raised. The Concord Seedlings 

 are hard}-, healthy, good growers 

 (with me), not showing any signs of 

 disease in the six years I have had 

 them. If you think either of them 

 worth testing, you can have one of 

 each. I am not increasing them. 

 Yours, trul}', John Baker. 



[No. 1 is Wilder 3 No. 2 is Merrimac; 

 No. 3 is not Cassady — we are unable 

 to identify it, seems to us worthless j 

 No. 4 is Perkins ; No. 5 we think 

 Blood's Black; No. 6 we think Clin- 

 ton. We hardly think the Concord 

 Seedlings are good enough to warrant 

 propagation . — Ed. ] 



