84 GllAPE CULTURE AND WINE-MAiaNG. 



at the present day how the rest have disappeared. From the front 

 as well as the back ends of the tun, bent in toward the interior to 

 meet the pressure of the liquid, it is each time held in toward the 

 centre in its concave form by four strong rafters, the ends of which 

 are fastened to the bottom and to the staves by iron hoops and 

 screws. The tun reposes upon 8 very strong wooden supporters, 

 beautifully carved, and raised several feet from the ground. The 

 height of the whole work is, from the floor of the cellar to its 

 highest point, 26 feet 5 inches; and on the top, in front, there is 

 a shield surmounted with the electoral cap on an azure field, and 

 the initials in gold of Charles Theodore. This mighty tun sur- 

 passes in size all its predecessors, for it can contain 230 fuders, or 

 283,000 large bottles of fluid in its colossal space. It has been 

 three times filled with wine — in 1753, 1760, 1766. There are still 

 to be seen in the cellar the compasses, plane, gouge, and timber 

 mark which were used for its construction. The compasses are 

 8 feet 6 inches long — some verses are carved upon them; the 

 plane is 7 feet long, lOf inches broad, and 4|- inches thick, with 

 the name of the head workman carved upon it. On the top of 

 this tun is constructed a flooring, 27 feet 7 inches above the floor 

 of the cellar, where a numerous company may assemble to enjoy 

 the pleasures of the dance. The vat is filled by a vertical open- 

 ing in the top of the vault. There is a small iron pump over the 

 cellar by which the tun may be emptied. In the cooperage there 

 is another tun which holds 47 fuders. In its time of sj^lcndor this 

 cellar is said to have contained 12 such barrels." 



tSeptemher 1. — "\Ye started from Ileidelberg at ten o'clock for 

 Basle. The road follows the foot of the mountains and the banks 

 of the Rhine, which here flows into an extensive plain, which ex- 

 tends far beyond the reach of the eye. To the left of the railroad 

 are high mountains rising up gradually. On their sides, about 

 one third up, vineyards are planted all the way, which are healthy 

 in color, and bear a good crop for this country. The mountain 

 tops are covered with forests. Here the Schwarzwald begins. 

 We passed many thriving villages. The plain is generally culti- 

 vated with tobacco, hemp, Indian corn, millet, hops, potatoes, and 

 beans ; but the largest portion is meadow, which is irrigated from 

 time to time by flood-gates, which let in or keep off the water. 

 Poplar-trees are planted around each lot in the meadow. Fields 

 which are more elevated are planted with plums, prunes, apples, 

 and walnuts. The latter predominates, and may be get down as 

 one third of all the trees here planted. 



The hemp, in all parts where it is planted, when ripe, is pulled 

 out by the roots, spread upon level ground, and kept there for a 



