THE MANUFx\CTUEE OF AVINE. 2G1 



As Kooii as the loaves are formed, liquid manuro 

 may Le ap23lied if the number of vines cuhivated Avill 

 permit of it, and this aj^plication of liquid manure 

 may be coiitinued until after the middle of July. It 

 should then cease for the season. ]\[canwhile, as 

 soon as the young shoots are well formed, all the 

 weakly ones should be rubbed off, carrying tlie pru- 

 ning recommended in former pages to even a greater 

 degree of severity than there noted. 



By these means the grapes will be obtained ripe 

 much earlier and of a higher (not stronger) flavor. 

 The importance of having the grapes ripe early will 

 be ap]3reciated when we consider that, other things 

 being ecpal, the heat and dryness of the season in 

 which they ripen will be the measure of the per- 

 fection of the grapes, at least in this latitude. Now, 

 in 1S5S, the mean temperature of August was 60° 

 Fahrenheit, while the mean tem2:)crature of Septem- 

 ber was only 61°, and as the amount of rain which 

 fell in each month was equal, the grapes whicli were 

 ripe by the beginning and niiddle of September were 

 much richer in saccliarine and other wine-making 

 elements than those which were produced in the cool 

 and damp atmospliere of September and October. 



From the foregoing observations it will be evident 

 that in preparing must for wine we must pay par- 

 ticular attention to the quality of tlie grapes and the 

 circumstances under which they were raised. Thus, 

 in Cincinnati, no suwir is added to the iuice of the 

 Catawba ; it is fermented just as it comes irom the 

 press. But in more northern climes, not oidy dn.ss 



