Domestic Notices. 93 



British Wines. This society has always paid particular attention to the 

 subject of home-made wines. Thirty-seven varieties were now presented 

 to them for examination. The qualities of the wines seem to have im- 

 proved materially from year to year, not only in the Champagne, both still 

 and mousseux, from the unripe gooseberry becoming more and more pa- 

 latable; but various attempts at imitating the drier continental wines have 

 succeeded beyond expectation. The committee recommend competitors 

 to follow, as nearly as possible, the mode practised by Mrs. Roberts, and 

 described at length in the Memoirs of the Society, vol. iii. p. 460. The 

 following receipt is from this family : — 



I have but one general rule for making every kind of garden wine. I put one-half pound of 

 water to every pound of fruit ; bruise them well together, and continue to mix them twice or 

 thrice a day. I use the Saccharometer, and weigh a small quantity of the liquid after every 

 operation. The increase of gravity is regularly noted down ; for as long as saccharine matter is 

 contained in the husks, the gravity will increase. When this is exhausted, a decrease of saccha- 

 rine matter will be observed by a decreased specific gravity at the next trial, shewing that such 

 matter begins to be decomposed. It is then strained from the husks into a cask without a head, 

 for fermentation ; which cask is sufficiently large to contain double the quantity required. The 

 average quantity of sugar I use, is two pounds loaf, powdered fine, to every gallon of impressed 

 juice, put in with the juice in the cask. This fermentation is allowed to continue till it has at- 

 tenuated 30 or 40 per cent., helping the operation by adding a very small quantity of yeast at the 

 first, and afterwards skimming and stirring it at the least once a-day. It is then transferred into 

 the barrel for final fermentation, (filling it up twice a-day with its own liquor, kept for this pur- 

 pose), and allowed to remain unbunged till all visible fermentation has ceased. I again weigh a 

 sample, and find a further attenuation of 10 or 15 per cent. It is then racked from its lees 

 into another cask, and the lees run through a filtering bag. The proportion of spirits used is 

 one-twelfth ; put in at three rackings, one-third at each. 



With regard to the saccharometer I am of opinion, that if it were in general use, the character 

 of home-made wines would be greatly improved: and that it is impossible, without its aid, to 

 make, from year to year, a regular and well manufactured wine. The seasons in this climate are 

 so precarious, that the fruit in some years will yield, at the least, one quarter more saccharine 

 matter than in others ; and by following the generality of receipts, in favourable seasons, we shall 

 have a rich, well tasted, excellent wine ; in others, (although adhering strictly to the same 

 methods), a thin and greatly inferior wine. By using this intrument, we find in bad seasons the 

 deficiency of "gravity ; in good seasons, the increase. The known evil can be easily remedied 

 by an extra quantity of unadulterated juice, sufficient to bring up the gravity as high as we find 

 by experience is requisite. We, all of us, I am convinced, greatly err in using too much sugar ; 

 and were we to bring up our gravities by an extra quantity of fruit, sugar might, perhaps, be com- 

 pletely dispensed with. Home-made wines would then in every respect resemble foreign, and be 

 far superior to what they now are. 



With regard to the fermentation, I find the greatest advantage from the frequent racking off 

 our wine from the lees, as well to give it an opportunity of fining more effectually, as to restrain 

 in some degree the fermentation, which might otherwise proceed from the vinous to the acetous, 

 and thus produce vinegar instead of wine, which is sometimes the case. Yet the moderate check 

 it receives from the frequent racking, is not sufficient to obtain the desirable attenuation. So long 

 as any portion of the sweet continues to exist, the fermentation will go on; and this I have 

 often experienced after wine has been bottled for many months. The frequent rackings will 

 contribute to the soundness and preservation of the wine, no less than to its clearness and 

 spirituosity. 



I have found the average specific gravity of home made wines, when a twelvemonth old, to be 

 from 30 to 50. Whereas a well manufactured wine will never exceed the weight of water ; as is 

 the case with all good foreign wines. The last specific gravity before fermentation I adopt, aver- 

 ages 120 Allan's instrument. 



The instrument is expensive certainly when purchased merely for this use ; but, if the 

 method appears to you desirable, I have no doubt Mr. Allan could make an instrument of glass 

 for ten or twelve shillings, which would answer the purpose very well, if the use of it were 

 fully explained to him. 



The Caledonian Society's quarterly Meeting for the election of office- 

 bearers for the ensuing year, was held in November, when a number of 

 prizes were awarded ; among others, a medal for long service to Mr. 

 Thomas Pattison, gardener to Walter Campbell, Esq. of Shawfield. 



Catalogue of the Glasgow Botanic Garden, dated July 1st, 1825. Dr. 

 Hooker has published a catalogue of the plants in this garden, which at 

 a rough estimate appears to contain about seven or eight thousand species, 

 besides " many others, which are either entirely new and undescribed, or 

 which, frpm the circumstance of their not having yet blossomed, cannot 

 be accurately determined." The object of the catalogue is " to increase 

 still further the collection ;" the arrangement is alphabetical, as the most 

 convenient for reference. To avoid the necessity of giving synonymes, 

 the generic and specific names are the same as those employed in the 

 nomenclator botanicus of Dr. Steudel, with the exceptions of the orchidias, 

 in which the nomenclature of Brown has been preferred. 



The ferns are not included in the alphabet, but are arranged systema- 



