WINE-HOUSE. 



253 



with saccharine matter, very carefully handled, and a cool, dry room 

 or cellar to keep them in. They should also either be sealed up so 

 as entirely to exclude the air, or have just air or ventilation enough 

 to prevent moulding. A little shriveling does not injure them so 

 much as mould. But few varieties of grapes contain sufficient sugar 

 to keep them through the Winter. The Catawba does when well 

 matured, and is one of the best for the. purpose. 



" They will keep good four or five months in either of the follow- 

 ing ways, if the conditions previously stated are complied with : 



" In a dry day, take a broad basket into the vineyard, gather some 

 of the dry fallen grape leaves, rubbing them in the hands to break 

 them up some, and put a layer of them on the bottom of the basket. 

 Then commence gathering the grapes, selecting the best ; examine 

 each bunch, carefully cutting out the unripe, decayed, and broken 

 berries, with a pair of grape scissors ; do not pick them off with the 

 fingers, for by so doing you will start some good berries from the stem, 

 causing them to rot and injure others. When trimmed, lay each 

 cluster in the basket until one layer is complete, then a layer of 

 broken leaves, alternately, until the basket is full, finishing with the 

 leaves. More than ten or twelve inches in depth of fruit should 

 never be packed, on account of the weight breaking those at the bot- 

 tom. It is much better to put them into the basket at the time they 

 are picked, to save another handling ; as every time they are handled, 

 some are broken and injured." 



Last, though not least, is the making of wine. To do this success- 

 fully requires practice, and a knowledge that can not be taught by 

 any description that can be written. Seasons and maturity of the 

 fruit affect very materially the quality of the wine, even when made 

 by those experienced therein. The following sketch of the details, 

 with cuts illustrative of plan of a wine-house and press, we extracl 

 from the " Western Horticultural Review : " 



a a 



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