FRUIT-WINES. 357 



of cassia, and a few handfuls of bruised wild plums. By these 

 means wine with a moderate content of alcohol acquires a strong 

 taste, while its keeping quality is at the same time improved ; 

 the latter can also be effected by bringing 2 ounces, 3 drachms of 

 tartar into the barrel during fermentation. A few other mixtures 

 of juices may be mentioned. Black berry-j nice is better adapted 

 to ferment by itself than any other juice from small fruits, but 

 by the addition of J- to J- its weight or its volume of strawberry- 

 juice the aroma of the wine is greatly improved. Strawberry- 

 juice is least suitable for fermentation by itself, and should be 

 mixed with must containing a bitter principle; the addition of 

 ^ of the volume of the juice of the Siberian crab-apple (Pyrus 

 baccata) can be highly recommended for the purpose, it being 

 especially suitable for improving the keeping quality of fruit- 

 wine. The juice of rhubarb stems may be added to that of 

 elderberries, while the juice of gooseberries is suitable for mixing 

 with that of mulberries. Moreover, a combination of several 

 juices may also be used, an excellent wine being, for instance, 

 prepared from equal parts of blackberry, raspberry, currant, and 

 strawberry-juice, with an addition of walnuts as given above. 

 In the receipts for the different varieties given below, the cus- 

 tomary addition of sugar for unmixed fermentation and the 

 omission of salicylic acid is retained ; it may, however, be repeated 

 that with the assistance of these means the cost may be reduced 

 one-half. In order to avoid repetition the following general rules 

 are here given which hold good not only for the preparation of 

 wine from small fruits, but also from stone-fruits. 



The fruit to be used should be sound and ripe, though not 

 over-ripe, and must be freed from adhering dirt by washing in 

 warm water. Large quantities are best expressed by means of 

 a press while for small quantities a bag of coarse linen is sufficient 

 which is kneaded and squeezed until no more juice runs out. 

 Over the residue pour as much hot water as juice is obtained and 

 after allowing it to stand for two hours press again and mix the 

 juice obtained with the first. Now add sugar in the proportion 

 of one pound to a quart of juice and bring the whole into a 

 thoroughly cleansed barrel previously rinsed out with salicylated 

 water. Fermentation should take place in a room having a uni- 



