BALCH, OX NATIVE GRAPES. 143 



2d. Those in which the acid is deficient ; for instance, 

 Adirondac, Hartford, &c. 



3d. Those in which the great excess of acid overpow- 

 ers all else and renders the fruit nearly uneatable : such 

 are Clinton, Franklin, &c. 



The analyses also prove that Dr. Gall's table for Oech- 

 sle's must scale can be safely used in finding the saccha- 

 rine contents of native musts, the numbers obtained by 

 analysis agreeing closely in most instances with the tabu- 

 lar amounts for corresponding densities. 



To produce a wine that shall keep it is necessary that 

 the must should contain at least 15 per cent, of sugar. 



In Germany the must of the best grapes (Riesling) of 

 the most favourable seasons contains 24 — 28 per cent, of 

 sugar, .65 per cent, of free acids ; this yields the most ex- 

 cellent wine, and is regarded as the normal standard with 

 which inferior musts are compared and often made to re- 

 semble as far as possible by dilution and addition of sugar. 



This method of bettering the must of partially ripened 

 grapes, by which in bad seasons (total failures excepted) 

 a wine can be made equal to the product of favourable 

 seasons, is due to Dr. Ludwig Gall, who has published a 

 treatise on the subject, an abridged translation of which 

 may be found in the Patent Office Report, Agriculture, 

 1860. 



To be of value for the production of wine, available for 

 vineyard culture, a vine should be hardy enough to endure 

 severe winters with slight protection ; healthy and vigor- 

 ous, so as to be little subject to the attacks of mildew, for 

 it is very well known that a vine which has lost most of 

 its foliage from this or any other cause cannot ripen its 

 fruit. Injury from frost is little to be feared if the fruit be 

 well ripened before its advent ; the clusters should hang 

 on the vine as long as the weather permits, and the ripest 

 (better if slightly shrivelled) removed in three or four 

 successive gatherings ; they should be picked on a dry 

 day and all defective berries removed. Many things influ- 

 ence early ripening, among which are soil, position, cul- 

 ture, variety and age of vine and crop adapted to its 

 strength. The flavour of wine depends on the ripeness 

 of the grapes and the proper proportion of free acids ; this 



