GRAPE-VINE. 201 



Hales, in his " Practical Husbandry," says, " that he 

 drank with Dr. Shaw wines made under his own care, 

 from a little vineyard behind his garden at Kensington, 

 which equalled many of the lighter wines of France ; and 

 while due care was taken of the vineyard at Hammer- 

 smith, much very good wine was obtained there for sale i 

 yet neither of these were favourable spots. Mr. King's 

 vineyard at Brompton was well known to the curious, as 

 also that at Pain's Hill, near Cobham in Surrey." 



Mr. Bradley says, he cannot help mentioning how poor 

 soils might be improved by making of vineyards. If it 

 could have answered in his time, how profitable must it 

 be at the present, when wine sells at about four times the 

 price it did at that period, and the nature of the vine is 

 so much better understood. 



There were lately several flourishing vineyards in So- 

 mersetshire : the late Sir William Basset, of that county, 

 annually made some hogsheads of wine, which was pa- 

 latable and well bodied. The idea that we cannot make 

 good wine from the juice of our own grapes is erro- 

 neous : the author has found it quite equal to the Grave 

 wines ; and in some instances, when kept for eight or ten 

 years, it has been drunk as Hock by the nicest j udges : 

 but those vitiated palates that have been so long accus- 

 tomed to drink indifferent Port wines overloaded with bad 

 brandy, think nothing good that is not black and strong, 

 while others deem nothing worth planting that does not 

 promise to return them immediate riches. Grapes that 

 are not perfectly ripe, and even sour, will make good wine, 

 but it will require longer keeping. 



If a sweet wine be preferred, raisins should be used 

 with the grapes ; for sugar and water (the common addi- 

 tion to our country wines) can never produce a good 

 beverage. 



The following observations on the economical uses to 



