240 THE FRUIT TREES OP BRAZIL. 



If the excess of moisture is the principal obstacle to the culture of the vine 

 in the forest regions, this drawback does not exist in the campos or open 

 country, where a much dried climate prevails. With zeal and perseverance 

 the province of Minas would certainly furnish a supply of better wines 

 than those of Lisbon, which are generally adulterated. The general opinion 

 that the trials of wine-making have not been successful proves nothing ; 

 for the Brazilians, accustomed to drink wines that have been doctored, 

 and containing a large proportion of brandy, are bad judges of the quality 

 and bouquet of a good pure wine. We have often seen them prefer a bad 

 Portuguese wine to good Constantia, Sauterne, or Madeira. 



In the meantime, till the culture of the vine improves and extends 

 (which may not take place during this generation, perhaps never by the 

 present race), the manufacture of wines from other fruits is of the greatest 

 importance. In this also the initiative has been taken by strangers, and 

 but few Brazilians have followed their example. It was only on the appear- 

 ance of the vine disease that chemists seriously studied wine-making, and 

 the manufacture of artificial wines ; the latter branch is still in its infancy. 

 If the use of strong or heady wines is suitable to a northern constitution, 

 it is certain that light, aromatic, or sparkling wines are salutary to the in- 

 habitant of the tropics. The carbonic acid facilitates digestion, and the 

 volatile oils and compound ethers act as stimulants, which explains the 

 preference given to drinks of this description, If it is true that the skin 

 of quinces contains cenanthic ether, the quince, from its growing here, 

 would afford the means of imitating in artificial wines the flavour of the 

 natural grape wine. We have tasted at the French Vice Consul's at Ouro- 

 Preto, wine made from the pine-apple, from the jabuticaba {Eugenia cauli- 

 flora), and from the Passiflora quadrangularis, which many have taken for 

 Spanish wines. He also made wines from the jambos, and from the pichi- 

 ricas or pingiricas (a black fruit of some dwarf Melastomaceous plant) 

 oranges, aracas, &c. He ferments the bruised fruits with a little water, and 

 when the brisk fermentation is over, he strains the liquid through a cloth, 

 and adds 8 lbs. of sugar per barrel, and a fresh fermentation commences ; 

 when this ceases, he adds eight bottles of brandy or spirit per barrel ; the 

 barrel contains from 26 to 28 bottles. [According to this proportion the 

 wine contains more than one-third part of brandy.] The liquid having 

 settled, it is strained, and when clear it is decanted and bottled. As all 

 the fruits employed yield likewise spirit on being fermented and distilled, 

 the corresponding spirit is preferred for each kind of wine. Coffee berries 

 and bananas likewise afford an excellent spirit. M. Dietrich, of Cantagallo, 

 makes an effervescent or sparkling drink, which he flavours with different 

 fruits, especially the pine-apple. By fermenting tamarinds with a portion 

 of sugar, a good wine, rich in tannin, may be obtained. The caja (Anacar- 

 dium occidentale), owing to the quantity of tannin which it contains, like- 

 wise furnishes an excellent wine. Dr. Teuscher is trying to make a light 

 wine similar to Sauterne. The juice of oranges is usually 7° to 7%° Beaume ; 

 by adding 2 ounces of sugar per bottle, we get 10° Beaume ; and by adding 



