WINE MAKING. 441 



though giving a degree of acerbity and bitter- 

 ness to the wine, is indispensable to make it 

 enduring. 



On comparing the degree of the different 

 " runnings," an estimate is made of the average 

 sugar of the whole ; and if this is found not to 

 be above eighty degrees, it is not thought safe 

 to trust to its own foundation of sugar, and 

 cane sugar is added to the must before fermen- 

 tation, and, of course, an impure Catawba wine 

 is the result. The best Catawba wine that has 

 been made was from must that registered at 

 least ninety degrees on the average of all run- 

 ings. 



In the vicinity of Cincinnati the Catawba 

 generally ripens early enough to ferment thor- 

 oughly by the natural temperature of the cel- 

 lars ; but further north, along the lakes, artificial 

 heat is required. To exclude the action of at- 

 mospheric air during fermentation, the appara- 

 tus of Mile. Gervais is used. (See Fig. 174, p. 

 431. 



When the first fermentation has subsided, 

 and the wine become still, it is "racked," or 

 drawn from the lees ; and if much sediment 

 forms during the winter, it is racked again 

 before warm weather. After the second fer- 



