AGRICULTURE ON THE RHINE. 189 



stalks by rubbing them to and fro with a broom. In 

 these butts the grapes are again bruised with wooden 

 clubs until no berry remains unbroken, when they are 

 removed to another compartment of the building. Here 

 the bruised grapes ai-e thrown into large casks placed on 

 end, each of which has a double top. The inner covering 

 is pierced with holes, and is fitted in about one-third 

 lower than the outer top, which is made air-tight. 

 During the fermentation nothing but juice and gas can 

 pass through the holes in the inner covering, which sinks 

 in proportion as the juice rises. A curved tin pipe two 

 inches in diameter is introduced into the air-tight cover, 

 the lower end of which rests in a pan filled with water, 

 which is changed every day. By this simple apparatus 

 the escape of the alcohol with the carbonic acid gas that 

 devclopes itself in the fermenting process is prevented, 

 and the too rapid fermentation being checked, the mixture 

 remains sweeter than it would if fermented 'in open ves- 

 sels. The transition of the sugar in the grape to alcohol 

 is prevented in Italy by closing the cask entirely, and not 

 allowing even the carbonic gas to escape. In this manner 

 the Aleatico and other sweet red wines that do not keep 

 are prepared. On the Rhine the grower strives to pro- 

 duce a rich beverage, and at the same time wine that 

 will stand the test of time. 



Red wines are fermented before the grapes are pressed 

 that the colouring matter may be extracted from the skin. 

 White wines are pressed first and the juice only is usually 

 set to ferment. At Rudesheim the juice is drawn out of 

 the fermenting casks by means of a pipe communicating 

 with the cellar below. The residue is then pressed, and 

 the juice is added to that previously obtained, or kept 



