OF THE VINE. 3S 



sealed, and laid on their sides in a cool place. It 

 will do to bottle in about a year after it is made, 

 but two years would be better.'' Writers differ as 

 to the number of rackings it should receive, but 

 Mn Buchanan thinks that the fewer rackings and the 

 less it IS e\pobed to the air, the sweeter and better 

 it will keep, and the belter flavor it will retain. 

 The casks ought to be new or perfectly cleansed, 

 and should never be moved or agitated if posbible 

 after they are placed in the cellar, as that would stir 

 up the lees and renew the fermentation, causing the 

 wine to become acid. 



That the reader may more fully understand the 

 nature and process of fermentation which is so 

 essential in wine making, I insert the following 

 useful article by X Brace, from the Western JHorti- 

 niUural Review. " The fermenting or t/east princi- 

 ple, is produced during vinous or first fermentation, 

 from a vegetable gluten or gum, which exists in the 

 juice of all fruits. This yeast or ferment is formed 

 in greater or less quantity, as this gluten pervades 

 mo^re or less the fermenting mafs; hence that 

 iiaving a large quantity will produce an abundance 

 of the stuTiulatuig or fermenting principle, and in 

 many case& to the mjury of the wine. In drawing 

 the juice of the grapes by pressing, som^ parts will 

 become more charged with this gum than others, 

 unless the whole amount pressed at once is run 

 into a single receiver, in which case there will be 

 more uniformity in the process of fermentation, 



than if it is put into a number of casks during the 



4-^ 



