118 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



his place is scrupulously neat. This wine is the pure juice of 

 the Catawba, the vintage of 1858. It is out of the same cask 

 as that to which was awarded the first premium at the national 

 fair at Chicago in 1859. We will venture to assert that if we 

 never have wine of poorer quality than this, we shall be better 

 served than the people of European wine-growing countries. 

 While Mr. Mottier makes such excellent wine from the Catawba, 

 he says that it would be much better if from a better grape ; 

 and he believes that some of the new grapes will entirely super- 

 sede it, for the Catawba is quite uncertain in its crops, besides, 

 in cold seasons it contains too little sugar. While trying some 

 wines a few weeks since, at the residence of J. G. Schneike, of 

 Cincinnati, who has experimented with as many varieties of 

 native grapes as any other man in this country, he made some 

 statements which may be as interesting to others as they were to 

 UB. For the best six vine-grapes in the latitude of Cincinnati he 

 named the following, and grades their relative quality in the 

 order they are named : 



1. Delaware. 4. Lincoln. 



2. Herbemont. 5. Catawba. 



3. Minor's Seedling. 6. Union Village. 

 With the Diana he had but little experience, but from the 



wine he had made from it he was inclined to place it next to the 

 Delaware, in the place now occupied by the Herbemont, as that 

 grape had proved to be very uncertain in its crops, as the vine 

 is too tender for this climate. 



The Delaware wine was the richest, and preserved the real 

 bouquet of the grape, and it improved by age. The vintage of 

 1859 contained Sh per cent, of alcohol. 



Herhemont — Very uncertain ;* no good wine since 1850 until 

 1859, when the crop was good; wine very good; quite delicate; 

 will not bear transporting to any great distance. Alcohol, b\ 

 per cent. 



Minor Seedling — Quite foxy in flavor, but a fine light-colored 

 "wine. Alcohol, 6 per cent. 



Lincoln — A dark colored wine ; resembles the finer grades of cla- 

 rets, only much better than that we generally import. Alcohol, 4^- 



Catawba of 1859 — Much body and strength; light amber color. 

 Alcohol, 8 per cent. 



Union village — A beautiful dark-colored wine ; not much body 

 or strength; will make a fine, light, summer drink. Alcohol, 5^. 



