SEED-VESSELS WE EAT 2©5 



vines first brought over in colonial times. Intro- 

 duced into Europe, it swept the vineyards away, 

 and ruined the wine industry. No grape-growing 

 country has escaped a visitation of this plague 

 of the vine. 



But study of the ruined vines revealed the cause 

 of trouble. No one could devise any means of 

 killing an insect enemy that works underground. 

 But the wild American vines, that showed ability 

 to resist the attacks of the phylloxera, were taken 

 to Europe and planted. Then the varieties that 

 had been destroyed were grafted on the hardy roots. 

 Thus the immune grape acted as nurse and guar- 

 dian to the tender wine grapes, and the enemy 

 was defeated. Rugged native species saved the 

 high-bred varieties from ruin. 



Wines are made by crushing the grapes and let- 

 ting the juice ferment. The skins may be fer- 

 mented in the juice and thus make red wines, that 

 take their color from the pigment under the skin. 

 Juice alone is used in making white wines. The 

 acid in grapes gives the wine-keeping qualities. 

 The sugar produces alcohol. During fermenta- 

 tion, a grayish or reddish crust forms in the wine 

 vat. This crystalline substance is "argol. " 

 Refined, by dissolving and filtering processes, it 

 becomes "cream of tartar," used in medicine, 



