SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
25S 
inserted, and it is hoped that the American agriculturist | 
•A'ill not withhold from it the favor with which it was re- 1 
ceived in France, the government of which ordered it to ! 
be printed for tne use ofihose who cultivate the vine. 
The treatise, which Chaptal haspublished on cenology* 
has proved highly interesting to the industry and com- 
merce of France, and enables me to furnish on this sub- 
ject, clear and precise instructions adapted to the capacity 
Oi all. 
Chemical science already owed much to Chaptal ; rural 
economy will also be indebted to him for having thrown 
light on this important branch, which is altogether found- 
ed on Chemistry. 
I will say one word on that science, of which the farm- 
er has no idea. The object of Chemistry is an intimate j 
knowledge of all natural bodies; it decomposes them, and i 
rivalling nature, often recomposes them, sometimes even [ 
purer than we receive them from her hands. 
INFLUE.VCE OF CHEMISTRY OX THE ART OF MAKING WIXE. 
If we except certain fruits which man plucks from the 
tree, and a few roots which he gathers for use in their I 
natural state, almost all other substances destined for his 
nourishment undergo different preparations ; he dries, j 
mixes, seasons and submits them to the action of fire, and 
10 fermentation. Wheat would not have become the basis | 
of his food without which is, really a spiriiu- \ 
eus fennentaiwn. | 
Beverages, especially, require the greatest industry and j 
care. - i 
Water and milk are the only two used by man in the | 
state in which they are furnished by nature. j 
But wine, cider, beer, &c., &c., are produced by I 
spirituous fermentation. Nature does not make wine; j 
she leaves the grapes to rot on the vine ; art alone con- j 
verts the juice into a sweet and savory liquor. | 
The origin of wine is traced to the earliest ages of the j 
world; and yet, this art is still in its infancy in many i 
countries, with the exception of a few famous vineyards. ! 
Every where else, centuries have rolled away, tvithout its ! 
being brought to perfection, whilst new arts, that of niak- ; 
ing porcelain, for example, have attained, in a few years, j 
itieir highest improvement. Such is the fate of arts, ac- I 
cording to the rudeness or refinement of the age which i 
gives them birth. j 
Chemistry, by throwing light on the art of making, 
wme, has spread a beneficial influence on agriculture, and j 
commerce — national prosperity will increase, as well as | 
individual interest. The farmer who will manufacture 
the best quality of \vine will reap the greatest advantage 
from it. 
CAUSES WHICH ACT OK \YXES VKD THEIR PRODUCTS. 
Climate, the nature of the soil, exposure, seasons, culti- 
vation, exercise a great influence on vines, and their pro- 
ducts. Thus the same species of vine does not always 
produce grapes and wine of the same quality. 
The manner of making wine is, ofaU causes, that which 
has the most powerful influence on its quality ; for with 
grapes of an excellent quality, an inferior wine is often 
made, whilst excellent wine can be obtained from inferior 
grapes. 
VINTAGE. 
.'E.USO.K OF THE YI.NTAGE. ! 
The favorable moment for the vintage is that of the i 
maturity of the grape; and this is known by the following ; 
signs : | 
The lower end of the bunch becomes brown— the bunch ] 
hangs loosely— it is easily pulled from the vine— the grape ; 
becomes soft— it separates freely— the skin becomes thin j 
’TTtie An of Making Wine. | 
■■rLe conversion of wheat into bread. | 
and transparent — The juice is rich and well tasted — the 
kernel or almond of the grape stone is well colored. 
All other signs are doubtful, such as, 
The full of leaves, especially if it be occasioned by 
frost; (a) 
Rottenness, especially ifit be the efftct of rain or cold. 
But these signs, though they do not prove maturity, in- 
dicate the necessity of making the vintage. 
Grapes do notripen after a frost; they remain green., 
and rot. ^Moreover, it is better to pull the grapes in this 
state of vegetation, than to wait for greater maturity; for, 
instead of improving the wine, it alters its quality. 
However, some wines require that the grapes should re- 
main on the vine, or be spread upon hurdles, to lose a por- 
tion ofthejuice of vegetation, and dry in part; but this is 
only done in warm climates, and to obtain sweet wines. 
The decrease of the moon is reckoned favorable to the- 
vintage, because then the wine keeps better; but the ma- 
turity of the grape and the weather must be consulted iu 
preference to the moon. 
It is not sufficient that the grapes be ripe ; it is also re- 
quisite that the ground, if it has rained, should have be- 
come dry, and the bunch contain no moisture ; besides, 
the weather should be settled enough not to interrupt the 
vintage. 
Thus you must wait until the dew is entirely dissipated 
unless you -wish to make sparkling white wine. 
Then the grapes are gathered when wet with the dew, 
and the moisture is kept up until tJiey are carried to the 
vat. 
To gather the grapes with the desv, and particularly in 
a fog, increases the quantity of wine. 
Thus a vintage, which after the rising of the sun would 
have yielded only twenty-four barrels of wine, will yield 
twenty-five, when gathered in the dew, and twenty -six in 
a fog. 
GATHERING OF THE GRAPES. 
The gathering of the grapes requires much care, and 
consequently the superintendance of an intelligent man. 
A sufficient number of laborers should be employed tc- 
fill up the vats in one day. The stems should be cut very 
short with scissors, and not with the pruning knife, or the 
nails. Gather separately the sound and ripe grapes ; they 
are those, which have been most exposed to the sun, 
whose berries are equally colored, and have ripened at 
the lower part of the stock. Throw away the rotien ones 
and leave the green. If there be too great a quantity of 
rotten and green grapes to be lost, the vintage for them 
must be performed in a separate vat; for their mixture 
would alter the quality of the wine. 
If you wish to have wine of a good quality, make the 
vintage at two or three different times — the first vat is the 
best. This process is adopted in the most celebrated 
vinejmrds ; its introduction into smaller vineyards would 
be the means of obtaining much better wine; for an in- 
crease of care is required, where the grapes are inferior 
and ripen with more difficulty, (b) 
However, there are countries where to make white 
wine, they gather, indiscriminately the ripe and rotter, 
grapes. The ripe grapes alone are used to make red wine- 
but in both cases the green are rejected. 
Grapes that are too ripe often yield too sweet a wine : 
it is then requisite to mix them with those grapes that 
have not attained perfect maturity 
The White Sparkling Champagne is obtained from 
grapes which are not fully ripe. ‘ 
The packing and transportation of the grapes requires 
seme care ; they are generally packed in baskets of too 
great a size, and much juice is lost. 
The virgin juice, that which flows most readily, contri- 
butes chiefly to the goodness of the wine; for this reason 
the grapes should be carefully deposited in baskets, and: 
