THE GRAPE-VINE. 



397 



luacle at Cincinnati from the Catawba grape. The grapes 

 are not picked until dead ripe ; all green or decayed ber- 

 ries are removed from the branches ; they are then bruised 

 in a mashing tub or passed through a small wooden mill, 

 mashing the skins and pulp, but not the seeds. It is bet- 

 ter to stem the grapes before pressing, which is done by 

 running the mashed grapes through a wire screen with the 

 meshes three-fourths of an inch apart. When shaken, the 

 pulp and skins fall through, and the stems are thrown out. 

 The pressing' is now performed. A strong, tight box plat- 

 form, six feet square, and six inches high at the sides, is 

 made of two or three inch plank, and tightly wedged together 

 in a heavy timber frame : a hole is made in the front to 

 permit the juice to flow out into a tub. On this platform a 

 box, five feet square made of one and a quarter inch boards, 

 ten inches high at the sides, and with holes at the lower 

 edge, is placed to receive the mashed grapes ; boards fitting 

 loosely inside this box, are placed on the pile of mashed 

 grapes, and pieces of scantling are laid across these to receive 

 the pressure. This is applied by means of a lever and screw, 

 until the juice is extracted. The outside of the cheese has 

 to be cut off and thrown on top two or three times and re- 

 pressed, to extract all the juice. The must should then be 

 placed in clean casks, for fermentation. Everything used in 

 wine-making must be scrupulously clean, whether press, ves- 

 sels, or casks, or the aroma and flavor of the wine will be lost. 



At Cincinnati, with the Catawba grape, no sugar is 

 added ; but casks are filled with the juice within six inches 

 of the bung, which is put in loosely, to allow the gas to 

 escape without the wine running over; a cool dry cellar, 

 is the best place for fermentation. In two or three weeks 

 fermentation ceases, and the wine becomes clear, when the 

 casks are filled and the bungs tightened. The wine io 

 racked off the ensuing February, into clean casks, which 



