244 GRAPE CULTURE AND WINE-MAKING. 



grapes are subjected to an overhauling before they are transported 

 to the press-houses. This is done upon tables placed near by, on 

 which children spread the grapes, and pick out all the dry ber- 

 ries, and throw away the rotten ones. 



The care taken throughout the whole proceeding insures a no- 

 ble and superior article of wine, which, however, sells at a remark- 

 ably low figure. The antal, =44 Wiener maas,'t)r 55f Prussian 

 quarts, fetches scarcely 80 ducats ; therefore, the highest price 

 paid for one fuder of this wine would not be more than 2460 flor- 

 ins (=1500 Prussian thalers; 1 fuder =872 quarts, bringing 470 

 ducats per fuder) ; while the wines produced in the Palatinate 

 and the Rheingau, by a similar careful arrangement, sell readily 

 at from 8000 to 12,000 florins. 



Relative Value of perfectly Ripe Grapes. 



The well-known vinologist, Ilorter, tells us, as a result of nu- 

 merous direct observations, that during the vintage-time, on an 

 average, the twentieth grape is eaten. These would give us 5 per 

 cent, of the whole amount. Little enough it would seem, and yet 

 a great loss and waste. 



This 5 per cent, would form, in good years perhaps 10, in bad 

 years perhaps 50 per cent, of all the ripe grapes ; and, for the 

 most part, the very finest berries are chosen for the mouth, and 

 thus lost to the production of the most noble of all beverages. 

 Considering what an amount of money-value the article bears, it 

 is really to be looked upon as so much gold which is lost to the 

 community of the district. The greatest possible care ought, 

 therefore, to be taken to prevent the waste. 



Benefits derived from Selecting. 



Mr. B. Kolges proves to us that, from year to year, the method 

 of picking out the berries finds more favor with the wine-makers, 

 inasmuch as sufficient trials have undeniably shown that, if from 

 three casks made of grapes that grew on the same piece of ground, 

 two are from picked berries, these two will eventually fetch more 

 than if all three casks had come from mixed-up grapes. 



Benefits f-om a perfect Maturity of the Grapes. 



The Count de Odart, a rich vineyard proprietor, near the city 

 of Tours, in France, says, in his " Observations sur le Moment des 

 Vendages,^^ that, since the year 1833, he has not only confined 

 himself to the careful picking of the berries, but he exposes after- 

 ward these selected ones to the air, spread out on hurdles. The 

 sugar getting more concentrated by this process, he makes a wine 

 that sells at three and four francs per bottle. The same quality 

 he sold before at three and four sous. 



We have now seen that, at this day, it has become an acknowl- 

 edged fact that it is possible to produce from inferior vintages, by 



