WINE MAKING. 421 



one need feel any doubt as to the proper course 

 to be pursued to reach a good result ; the best 

 results, however, will only be attained by the 

 utmost diligence and care. 



The good housewife, who makes the best of 

 bread, exercises as much skill, and of as fine a 

 quality, as is required to make the best of 

 wine ; and in both cases there are few who are 

 able to appreciate fully the excellence either of 

 the product or the maker. The illustration 

 may be homely, but a better one could scarcely 

 be found. A loaf of bread, perfectly balanced 

 in farina and gluten, neither too moist nor too 

 dry, exact in lightness, with its fermentation 

 carried to just the proper point of sweetness, 

 is a work of high art ; nay, practically, of the 

 highest art, for it is the foundation upon which 

 happy and healthful living is built. It will 

 not do to say that this is an every-day per- 

 formance, for it is nothing of the kind. More- 

 over, no matter what the skill and experience 

 of the housewife may be, she must have good 

 flour to make the best of bread. And it is just 

 so with wine. No matter what the skill and 

 experience of the wine maker may be, he must 

 have good grapes to make good wine, and the 

 best of grapes to make the best of wine. 



