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257 



CULTIVATION or the VINE. 



Some cufloms among theancients, I think, are worthy 

 of notice, and fit to be revived and retained by us; how- 

 many of them came to be laid afide, when they appear fo 

 iifcful and beneficial, I cannot fay, perhaps for reafons 

 which I am not able to difcover: I lliall here mention one, 

 which I think pertinent to our prcfent purpofe, which was 

 for the prefervation of their wines; they took a firkin, or 

 eight gallons of pure clear tar, of the firft cool running 



from the kiln; to this they added half as much good clean 

 pitch pounded fine, and put it all into an iron pot, and 

 melted it by a gentle fire; when hot they put to it four 

 gallons of ilrong lye (that Is a lixivium of aflies,) this 

 they ftirred altogether, at leaft for half an hour very well, 

 it was then left eight and forty hours for the tar and pitch 

 to fubfide, the lye was then poured off; the tar and pitch 

 was heated till it melted a fecond time, and four gallons of 



frelli lye were poured on, and ftirred and manai^ed as be- 



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fore; this was done a third time; they then took four gal-- 

 Ions of fea water, as fait as could be got, (for people who 

 cannot eafily come at the fea water, a good clean brine, 

 made of fait and water, may do as v\^ell) the tar and pitch 

 being juft melted, but not made too hot, they put the fait 

 water to it, and ftirred it very well, this was put in the 

 fun, and ftood open all day, but covered at night to keep 



ofi'the dews, and when k rained; this flood expofcd to the 



fun till all the water was exhaled, and then it was put up 

 for ufe. With this they payed or daubed over the caflc, 

 into which they put the wine, in this manner : Tiicy took 

 out one head of the caflc, and in the fame manner as our 

 coopers do, they heated the cafk thoroughly, and having 

 fome of the pitch and tar, (now more refemblin'^- pitch a- 

 lone) melted, they threw in as much as they thought would 

 daub the caflc all over, and alfo the head that was taken 

 out, they then took a broom and rubbed the pitch well 

 over every part of the infide of the caflc, fo that no fpot 

 efcaped, turning and winding the caflc about very briflcly; 

 for this work muft be done in hurry, leaft the cafl 



anc 



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pitch 



