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VINEYARDS IN FRANCE.
J. P. Cobbett, who travelled in France
in 1823, describes the mode of cultivating
the vine in that country. The vines are
planted two or three feet from each other
in rows three or four feet apart. They
rise to the height of four or five feet, and
stakes of the same length are stuck into
the ground near each vine, which give a
hold to the tendrils, and keep the vines
from the ground. In the winter the
vines are cut off near the ground ; and
the stakes are pulled up and placed away
in a stack, until the vine begins to shoot
again in the spring. The grapes are
gathered in November, and sometimes
later. The bunghes are cut from the vine
with scissors, put in baskets and carried
to the side of the vineyard, where they
are emptied into tubs which are conveyed 
home by a cart or wagon. The grapes
are pounded in the tubs by a stout piece
of wood used by hand and then thrown
into a ver y large vat, where the juice and
pulp remain together 8 or 10 days to undergo 
the necessary fermentation, during
which time they first rise up as bread
does, and afterward the pulp separates
and sinks. The juice that flows is then
drawn off into barrels, and the pulp is taken 
out and pressed in a wine press, and
the juice that runs away is put into barrels.
The bung hole is left open a tew
days, and then closed forgood. This is
the process for red wine. White grapes,
of which white wine is made, are pressed
directly after they are bruised, and no
fermentation takes place till the juice is
in the barrel. Mr. Cobbett states that an
acre of vineyard of the best sort of vines
is worth 600 dollars. The produce in
1825 was from 800 to 1000 gallons of
wine to the acre, worth from 12 to 15
cents per gallon. Some of the vines are
50 years old. Land that is strong, hilly
and stony, is best for the vine.
        