PROCEEDINGS OF THE FAKMERS' CLUB. 119 



These wines were all made from the grapes without the addi- 

 tion of sugar or any other substance. The grapes are gathered 

 when very ripe, and all green, broken, or decayed berries picked 

 out and thrown aside ; all the apparatus that belongs to wine- 

 making is kept in perfect order, and cleanliness is a prominent 

 feature in the vineyards of Messrs. Mottier and Schneiker as it 

 always should be in every establishment where good wine is 

 expected to be made. The wines of Cincinnati have already 

 become so celebrated that they sell for a much higher price than 

 many of our imported wines. Large quantities of poor Rhine 

 wines have been imported and taken to Cincinnati and there put 

 upon the lees of the Catawba and fermented with them and then 

 sold for Catawba wine, at a profit, for Catawba will bring $1.25 per 

 gallon, and cheap claret can be had for 50 cents, after paying 

 the duty which has been imposed on such wines the year past. 



To show that our pure native wines are not so strongly alcoholie 

 as many of common drinks, we will give the amount of alcohol 

 that some of these beverages contain. Of course they vary 

 much in different specimens, but this list will show very nearly 

 the average : 



Currant wine ._ 20 per cent. 



Porter ...23 do 



Champagne (pure) _. 12 do 



Gooseberry 12 do 



Elderberry 9 do 



Cider 7^ do 



Ale 7^ do 



The lowest Rhine wines 4^ do 



Prof. Mapes stated the process of wine-making at Cincinnati, 

 and the object of having the great wine-vaults; that is to avoid 

 all variation of temperature. If the thermometer varies more 

 than 5 deg. you cannot make wine perfectly. Sparkling wine is 

 not made by bottling the wine while in a state of fermentation; 

 nor can such wine be made by any artificial addition of materials. 

 Sparkling wines are always made of the most inferior wines. 

 The best brandies are not made of the best quality of wines; 

 but good brandy cannot be made except the wine is pure. The 

 Cincinnati brandies are generally execrable. 



The wines presented by Mr. Fuller were tasted by a number 

 of good judges, and pronounced excellent — very excellent. 



