290 CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 



wise. He says, " The fewer packings it receives, and the 

 less it is exposed to the air, the sweeter and better it will 

 keep ; retaining the fine aroma and flavor of the grape, 

 and acquiring but little acidity." Through the summer, 

 the cask is to be kept tightly bunged, drawing a little 

 from it in case of such fermentation as to endanger the 

 bursting of the cask. But fermentation will be much less 

 active as the wine becomes clear, and the lees are sepa- 

 rated. In the Ml, the wine may be bottled ; though it will 

 improve by remaining in the cask another season. The 

 bottles are to be placed on their sides, in a cool cellar; 

 and will improve by being kept two or three years. If a 

 good quality of fruit is used, and care is taken that the 

 fermentation is not too rapid (which may be checked by 

 an early and a second racking), there will be no necessity 

 for adding sugar or alcohol, or resorting to any other 

 mode of " doctoring." But a vast amount of liquor (I 

 will not call it wine) is annually made from imperfect 

 fruit of an inferior quality, to which a considerable quan- 

 tity of sugar must be added to increase its alcoholic 

 properties, and prevent its change to vinegar. In my 

 opinion, such a change would be "a consummation de- 

 voutly to be wished." And yet it is true, that in our 



