187S The Western Poniologist and Gardener. 31 



in its true light. He says : " A part of the odorous substance of ready wine is already con- 

 tained in the grape. But the principal aromas, and just those which more than all the 

 rest form the pleasant boquet of the wines in the northern wine districts, are certainly the 

 product of fermentation, through which their formation is effected, from certain substances 

 of the grape. Those substances, however, are as yet wholly unknown to us, and chemistry 

 has not yet succeeded in analyzing them." (Hussman .saj-s it is " alcohol upon the acids.") 

 We think this settles the question for the present, Hus.sman to the contrary, notwithstand- 

 ing. 



He says again: "But all at once the Doctor discovers that the art of wine-making consists, 

 not in finding a grape possessing all the essential qualities, but in mixing and blending 

 the good qualities of ditlerent varieties. We admit tliat advantages may be gained some- 

 times by mixing the must of several grapes, (We are then once correct.— Ed.) but we would 

 rather have a perfect grape, if it can be had; and as the Doctor does not mention the 

 essential qualities ot a wine grape, we will try and do so for him. (And a nice fist you 

 have made of it. — Ed.) They sliould be : 1. Freedom from disease in properly located 

 situations. 3. Sufficient fertilitj' to make it a paying crop. 3. Its must should contain 

 sugar, acid, tanr.in, water — in short, all tlie ingredients necessary to make a good wine in 

 just the necessary proportions. 4. It should have a delicate and pleasing flavor, instead of 

 the otiensive foxmess of so many of our native grapes." 



This last effort of Mr. Hussman certainly caps the climax.] |He has gone arouud " Robin 

 Hood's barn" to give us the essential qualities of a wine grape, and has landed just where 

 he commenced, without giving us anything more definite than the following : " Its must 

 should contain — in short all the ingredients to make a good wine, in just the necessary 

 proportions." What a discovery this is ! Your " novice " might have told even as much. 

 Have not all grapes got sugar, acid, tannin, and water 1 Then, as far as these ingredients 

 are concerned, every grape possesses the essential principles of a wine grape ; but not, 

 perhaps, in the right proportion. But as you have not given that, you have defined noth- 

 ing, so far as your third proposition is concerned. 



As regards his first proposition : What has disease to do with the essential qualities of 

 a wine grape? Is not the Catawba a wine grape, in spite of its disease? It might have 

 something to do with profit, but it can have nothing to do with the perfect grape itself. 

 Likewise with his second proposition ; Is not the Taylor a wine grape, regardless of its 

 fertility? Does it not make a good wine? Finally, his fourth and last proposition is 

 embraced in his third, for if a grape possesses all the ess'-^ntial ingredients to make a good 

 wine, it must have a " delicate and pleasing flavor." So, after all his eftort to give the 

 essential qualities of a wine grape, it has dwindled down to the latter clause of his third 

 proposition, which leaves us in the position of the child who said, " the grape made a 

 good wine, because it is a way it liad." Now what docs all such teaching amount to, and 

 wherein has he pointed our " errors," or " had advice f" 



Grafting tbe Grape. — Vineyard Work lor February. 



By the Associate Editor. 

 S This month like January, there cannot be much work done in the vineyard, except to 

 prepare posts and stakes for trellis, etc. Everything should be on the ground ready to 

 put up as soon as the weather and ground will permit. You should not work in the vine- 

 yard when the ground is too wet, as it will pack and bake the earth and make it hard and 

 clody. In mild weather you may prune vines if not already done, but not when they are 

 frozen. You should not delay pruning longer than in March. Have it all done before the 

 vines commence to bleed which is the best rule that we can give, which is adapted to anv 

 latitude or location. As there cannot be any definite rule given how long vines should be 

 pruned, we will simply state that a strong three years old vine of such varieties as Con- 

 cord, Ives, Norton, you may leave on two canes three feet long each, and a four or five 

 years old vine about four canes four feet long each. Such vines as Delaware, Catawba 

 and Alvey, about half as much wood. And such varieties as Clinton and Taylor, even 

 longer than Concord, and on lateral canes which will be fully illustrated and described in a 

 series of articles on the cultivation and training of the vines. 



