96 



the holes so close that it is a perfect riddle. The false bottom can b e 

 raised or put down by the hand, if made properly and not too tight. 

 The stemmer throws in upon it several clusters, and shakes and rubs 

 them in all directions until the stems are left bare. He puts in but 

 a few clusters at a time, that the grapes may escape the more easily. 

 A handy workman will clean by this means from 1000 to 2000 gallons 

 in a day. 



In some places they make use of an instrument like a hay -fork, 

 which the workman shakes and moves circularly in the vat among 

 the grapes. By doing it very rapidly, he removes the fruit from the 

 stem and collects the stems at the surface, from which he removes 

 them with his hand. Some also stem n'ith a common willow sieve, 

 the bands of wliich are from 3 to 3* inches apart, and the brim plaited 

 uncommonly thick and strong. 



White grapes ought aot to be stemmed ; it is observed that wine 

 from such is less alcoholic and more apt to become turbid. 



