218 GKArE CULTURE AND WINE-MAKING. 



the wine always something whereby it may form alcohol : a sweet 

 siibstauce, for instance, such as boiled grape-juice, grape-sugar, or 

 honey. Besides this, a good bed, quiet, and as little access of air 

 as possible. 



Of sweet mixtures used for this purpose, and also to give inferior 

 wines a better taste and more body, we mention the following : 



1. Prime Spanish raisins, without stalks and stones, are boiled 

 with water; the decoction is strained, and mixed with alcohol 

 (one maas to one pound of raisins). In the fall, this is mixed 

 with four or five times its quantity of good must ; let them fer- 

 ment together, draw it oft' from the }' east, and preserve it in bot- 

 tles. One maas of this strong juice is sufficient to improve one 

 eimer of young red wine. But if this be sour, it must be made 

 right again previously by an application of powdered chalk or 

 coal. 2. Good must, mixed with the tenth part of its own weight 

 of crushed sugar and the eighth part of its quantity of pure alco- 

 hol. 3. Selected grapes are allowed to get to perfect maturity in 

 the sun, or in a heated room, and to dry. Their juice is then 

 pressed out and boiled a little, or mixed with sugar and cream 

 of tartar if too watery. In this manner it serves very well to 

 improve weak wines. 4. One part of honey and two parts of old 

 French wine are warmed over a small fire, and skimmed. Four 

 maas are sufficient for one hogshead. 5. Shoots of the grape-vino 

 are boiled in wine. This is good for such wines as have but lit- 

 tle taste and color. 6. One ounce of cream of tartar boiled with 

 six maas of water until it is dissolved ; then one pound of barley 

 to be added, and boiled till it bursts ; then four pounds of honey 

 added, stirred, and so much water put to it that the quantity 

 amounts to six maas, and the whole used for a cask of wine of 

 fifty cans. 7. In France, often nothing but ^^ grape-sugar''^ is used, 

 especially for wines destined for sale in the northern countries. 



Souring. 



This takes place if a part of its spirit changes into vinegar. 

 In order to do this, it needs a stuff inducing a sour fermentation, 

 and free access of the air. Water favors it, and alcohol mixed 

 with a great quantity of water is, by the mere combination with 

 the air, transformed into vinegar. The mould is a forerunner of it. 



If the wine, therefore, has but few watery parts and fermenta- 

 tion matters, and is kept shut out from the air, there isbut little 

 danger of its turning sour. Likewise if it still contains many 

 undissolved sweet parts. Eeduction of the water, removing the 

 yeasty matters, and preventing the air from coming into contact 

 with it, are consequently the most available remedies. Souring 

 takes place most readily with wine kept in badly-constructed cel- 

 lars, or at the times of great changes of the atmosphere, and vio- 

 lent electric shocks. 



For the purpose of reducing the quantity of water, an addition 



