DR. L. GALL ON IMPROVEMENTS IN WINE-MAKING. 241 



gatherers employed arc strictly forbidden to cat of the grapes, un- 

 der penalty of instant dismissal, but they receive double wages 

 during the time of vintage. None but absolutely matured grapes 

 receive the honor of being thrown under the press, and many a 

 bush is not emptied until the fourth turn. Warm and dry weath- 

 er is considerea essential in the fall. 



For the finest " Select Wines" {Auslese Wei7i) only the most lus- 

 cious grapes are picked out, and from these the best-matured ber- 

 ries are cut out singly by the scissors. After " musting" them 

 for 2-4 hours they are taken to the press. 



Since the vintage of the year 1800, have been produced at the 

 Castle Johannisberg, 



18 times wine of inferior quality ; 

 16 times wine of good quality ; 

 7 times wine of prime quality ; 

 5 times wine of superior quality. 



The "superior" wines were of the vintages 1811, 1822, 1881, 

 1834, and 1846. The wine of 1831, however, bears off the palm 

 from all others. In 1817, the wine was absolutely bad; in the 

 year 1816, the grape-bushes were killed by the frost, so that no 

 vintage took place. The richest yields were those of 1811, when 

 46 acres of vineyard produced 50 casks ; of 1819, when 45 acres 

 produced 52 casks ; and of 1833, when 55 acres produced 57 casks 

 per acre. On an average, from the year 1800 to 1849, 50 acres 

 of vineyard were annually under cultivation, and the produce of 

 each acre during this period was 34 casks. One cask of wine is 

 equal to 80 Prussian maas, or 160 French litres. One acre is 

 about equal to three fourths of a Prussian morgen. 



The wine of remarkably superior vintages is sold by the bot- 

 tle ; the other qualities are generally sold by the cask, at public 

 auction. The highest prices paid were as follows : 



In 1802, for one cask of the vintage of 1777, 5,000 florins. 



" " " " 1780, 4,500 " 



" « " " 1781, 4,000 " 



« « " " 1794, 3,500 " 



" " " " 1798, 2,700 " 



(c « u u 1791^ 2,200 " 



» «' " " 1793, 2,000 " 



1805, " " " 1825, 6,500* " 



" " " " 1825, 9,100t " 



1832, " " " 1822, 12,500t " 



The ^^ Cabinet Wine,''^ i. e., the kind sold only in bottles, brings 

 the following prices, according to the Price-current of 1847 : 



Vintage of 1822, sealed with gold wax, 17/., 32 kr. 



" 1831, " silver " 7 " 



" " " green " 4 " 



" 1834, " gold " 7 " 



• To Mr. Von Eothachild. t To the King of Bavftria. t To the King of PruBsi*. 



