68 {HE VINE AND CIVILISATION. 
partially prevented by artificial covering, or covering the 
bunches in paper bags preserves them from the rot. ‘The 
grape rot occurs in all kinds of soil, and the nature of the dis- 
ease, and a remedy, have yet to be ascertained. 
Grapevines attacked by the vinelouse phylloxera, have a 
different appearance from the mildew. Vines thus attacked 
have a hard, yellow appearance, the growing points of the 
shoots are thickly tufted with small yellow leaves, and on ex- 
amination of the roots will reveal the phylloxera, clustering 
and covering the entire surface. It is possible the vinelouse 
may be found on the roots of our native species, and show no 
symptoms of their presence, continuing to grow and bear 
fruit. 
The modes of making wine, so varied in detail in different 
countries, and yet in the general operations, of expression and 
fermentation, the same in all, furnish much matter for reflec- 
tion. It is singular that good wines should be made under 
such multifarious modes of treatment as are shown in this 
brief treatise. The process of fermentation is carried on in 
many different modes, not regulated by locality or climate, 
and wine of excellent quality is produced under each. It 
seems difficult to decide which mode is to be preferred. The 
first requisite to make good wine seems to be a peculiar quality 
in the soil in which the fruit is grown, more than in the spe- 
cies of vine itself. The second requisite to good wine is to 
select the species of vine best suited to the soil, aided by a 
judicious mode of training and cultivation. No wine of toler- 
able quality is grown on rich, highly dressed land. 
In regard to quantity, the average for France is, from authen- 
tic records, estimated at 23.39 hectolitres per hectare of land, 
or 242 gallons of wine per acre; but in the Department of 
Meurte, in France, the quantity of wine per hectare is never 
