1882.] 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



151 



At this tiiuf soDK' houses bring what they 

 liave bottled up a^'iiiu to the upper cellar. 

 This is a good plan, as the cold lielps tlu! dc- 

 p(jsit to dry. Others content themselves with 

 changing tlieir position, removing the leaky 

 and broken bottles, and making new piles of 

 bottles. It is at this time also that attention 

 is paid to the inasiiiic, the name, given to the 

 deposit on the side of the bottle, and which 

 must bo removed. This deposit is removed 

 by means of a machine whichconsitsof a box, 

 into which arc placed two bottles liaving this 

 deposit in them ; by means of a handle a 

 rotary motion is imparted to the bottles, 

 which are further subjected to continual blows 

 from two little hammers. These continued 

 shocks produce a shaking which is sufficient 

 to detach the adhesive deposit. The removal 

 by hand reipures much more attention. The 

 workman is supiilied with an iron implement, 

 and has to take care to hit only just hard 

 enough to detach the crust. If he were to hit 

 too hard it might give rise to accident. 



AVhen the bottles are entirely cleared of de- 

 posit they are placed neck downwards, either 

 on tables or on rack.s. The latter having cer- 

 tainly the advantage|of taking up le.ss room 

 than rows of tables. 



After being kept for some time in this po- 

 sition, the wine should be shaken, so as to 

 make all the deposits fall on the cork. This 

 is an important operation, and great care is 

 taken in the selection of workmen to do it. It 

 is done by very slightly lifting the bottle, 

 and giving it a shake or two in that position. 

 To bring it to a successful issue re(iuires a 

 month or six weeks, or even more, the bottle 

 being moved every day. When the deposit 

 has altogether settled on the cork, the good 

 bottles are placed in stacks, with necks down, 

 at a sharp angle, to await the time when they 

 are ai^ain uncorked. Tiie rest are replaced 

 and "worked" a second time on the racks. 



The uncorking is also a difficult and deli- 

 cate operation. It is necessary to remove the 

 cork and wiring with the least pos.sible loss of 

 wine, the bottle being all the time kept neck 

 downward. To do this the workmen watches 

 the bubble of air which is in the bottle, and so 

 removes the cork that only the deposit is eject- 

 ed by the rush of gas. When the froth comes 

 he uses a i)art of it to wash the neck of the 

 bottle, and then inserts a small cork prepared 

 for the purpose, which prevents too great a 

 loss of gas. 



The bottle then passes into the hands of a 

 man who lakes out enough wine to admit 

 the necessary amount of sirup. The wine is 

 now very "dry" and would not be very drink- 

 able, although some countries, especially 

 England, will Iiave nothing but dry wines. 

 This dryness is corrected by the addition of 

 what is called the "export sirup," which dif- 

 fers from what is put in at the time of the 

 bottling ; it is composed of 1.50 kilos of candied 

 sugar to 100 liters of wine, and three quarts 

 of alcohol, which is added to increase the 

 strength. As the sugar dissolves, the wine 

 becomes thick, and must be filtered to make 

 the liquid perfectly clear. 



The bottles, when opened and emptied to a 

 certain depth, are taken to the "mixer." 

 Tlie mixing consists in putting into each a 

 certain equal quantity of sirup, the precise 

 portion differing for each country. When a 



bottle is not full enough it is filled with a lit- 

 tle wine. The bottle is tlien placed on a re- 

 volving table, and as it revolves all the bot- 

 tles in turn come to the corker. 



•This second and final corking recpiires more 

 care than the first. The corks used arc of 

 Spanisii cork, soft and strong, hard and full, 

 or red corks, according to the country the 

 wine is to be sent to ; they arc soaked for a 

 few days before in cold water to soften them, 

 and they bear the|name of the manufacturing 

 firm branded on the end which enters the 

 liottle. 



For the final corking before dispatch, the 

 corking machine is often a mallet machine, 

 but others are also used. The cork is put into 

 the tube, pressed and made to come level with 

 the lower end of the tube, and with a clean 

 sponge the few drops of water which have re- 

 sulted from the compression of the cork arc 

 wiped oil', and then the bottle is filled as much 

 as is wanted and is corked, the cork being 

 driven in to a greater or less extent, accord- 

 ing to the destination of the wine. 



The tying up is then proceeded with, oiled 

 string being used, this being prepared for ex- 

 portation, and which lasts longer in cool 

 vaults. A new stringing machine has been 

 invented which has been of much use. Before 

 the invention of this machine the working of 

 a "stringer" could only be performed for a 

 few hours at a time, it being so hard and 

 tiring, but now a j'oung man from 10 to 18 

 years of age can easily string bottles all day. 



After the string is put on the wire is added; 

 the kind most in use now is galvanized wire. 

 It_ is at this time that the bottle is often 

 shaken once or twice to mix the "sirup" 

 thoroughly with the wine. Then the bottles 

 are arranged in piles, always on ends and are 

 left still for a month or two, being examined 

 then to see if the cork is iu order, or if it 

 shows marks of leaking. 



Then comes the packing. This is done in 

 boxes or hampers. The bottles are in straw, 

 or wrapped up in straw covers, which are 

 manufactured beforehand in different man- 

 ners ; tin or golden leaves; cratings of wax of 

 different colors ; leaden covers ; labels with 

 the name of the house, &c. The baskets are 

 closed with flexible twigs or willow. Besides 

 these fastenings some houses use a wire all 

 around the basket ; its ends sealed together 

 with a leaden seal, so that if the receiver 

 finds any loss when it is delivered to him, he 

 cannot claim anything from the carrier unless 

 the seal or fastening has been broken. The 

 cases are closed by means of nails. They are 

 bound with|wooden or metallic bands, and 

 some are also sealed. 



When the time comes to send the wines 

 away, the senders should take care that the 

 wines are in their right positions, i. e., recum- 

 bent. When the wine lias reached its desti- 

 nation, it should be taken into a cool place 

 and laid down horizontally. It .should not 

 be used for a full fortnight, or even for a 

 longer time, as the traveling injures it, and it 

 would be unfair. to judge of the wine on im- 

 mediate arrival. — John L. Frishic. 



PRACTICAL FORESTRY 

 TRATED. 



ILLUS- 



A (luartette of our Lancaster disciples of 

 Blackstone, composed of W. K. Wilson, 



Simon P. Eby, A. F. Hostetter and Andrew 

 M. Frantz, Esqs., visited our well-known 

 rural friend of Warwick, Mr. I.,evi S. Reist, 

 who is more than any other man in Lancaster 

 county identified with the planting and rear-- 

 ing of new forests. Mr. Heist was hoiioied 

 lately with a personal invitation to attend tUo 

 American Forest Convention, sitting at Mon- 

 treal, in the British dominion. The new 

 forest, comprising about twenty-five acres, 

 has been named as above in commemoration 

 of an aboriginal settlement of American In- 

 dians occupying the same spot in tlie early 

 history of the country, called the " Le Hoy" 

 settlement. The ground occupied by the new 

 forest was under the plough as common farm, 

 and as late as twenty years ago. It is situated 

 about one mile from the residence of Mr. 

 Heist, on a high point of Gravel Hill, pre- 

 senting a view for extent and variety of 

 scenery unsurpassed. Mr. Heist owns most, 

 if not all, the land along the roads from his 

 residence to the forest. These roads arc con- 

 tinuous avenues planted with trees on either 

 side, making the pas.sage one of great inter- 

 est and pleasure to the pedestrian as well as 

 the carriage goer. 



Before reaching the new forest you pass a 

 place devoted by Mr. Reist to horticultural 

 and vegetable culture, where now arc in full 

 riiieuess a large quantity of rare grapes and 

 the popular Hartford in perfection. An order 

 was left with the Superintendent to pick a 

 basket for the party and hand it over upon 

 the return. 



The forest cannot be described in detail. 

 Its tree growth is rank and healthy-looking, 

 most of which was planted and reared from 

 the seed, consisting of oak, chestnut, locust, 

 poplar, maple, etc. There is a circuitous drive 

 in, around and through the forest, along 

 which the green foliage is constantly brushing 

 the horses and carri.ages, up and down liill, 

 over ravines and past sparkling springs. A.side 

 from the utilitarian view, it is one of the 

 most romantic and pleasurable spots in the 

 county, which must be seen and its inspira- 

 tion felt to be properly appreciated. 



The order with reference to the Hartfords 

 was well executed. The superintendent liand- 

 ed over a basket of rich fruit, not by struck 

 measure, but heaped full. It is needless to 

 say that the party, under the sharpening in- 

 fluences of a free mountain air, pitched in 

 pretty fieely. 



In view of the reckless destruction of the 

 old forests, too much credit cannot be given 

 to the few leading men who devote them- 

 selves to the matter of raising new forests for 

 tlie use of future generations. The party was 

 highly pleased with their visit and would 

 suggest that others follow their example. 

 Few men have more to show to interest 

 the visitor than our friend Mr. Reist, 

 and still fewer are so heartily disposed to 

 make a visit instructive as well as pleasiiut. 

 The party of visitors feel that it is due to 

 their host that they should make this public 

 acknowledgment of their satisfaction with 

 their visit personally to Mr. Reist as well as 

 in recognition of the noble enterprise which he 

 has undertaken. The forest now conld fur- 

 nish fencing material, telegraph poles, etc., in 

 considerable quantities. The home of Mr. 

 Reist and its surroundings illustrate the 



