THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Jansky 10, i860. 
231 
are tossed into a milk-pan, and thus this process is completed. 
The run-juice is measured, and the saccharometer plunged into it; 
when, should it sink to 20, 3£ lbs. of loaf sugar per gallon are 
added, which bring the instrument up to 52 marked on its index. 
If the saccharometer counts less than 20, more sugar is given; 
if more than 20, less sugar. But waiting for the Editors to unite 
with other judgments, it confines me to no very extended tables 
of proportions at present: I merely point out what I have 
done. The skins and pips are now put into a tub or pan with 
four gallons of water per bucketful, to make a petit vin ; and 
placed side by side of the sweetened liquor in the temperature 
above quoted to ferment — all to be stirred occasionally for 
three days more, when the watered must is pressed off as already 
explained (it would save the muscles of one’s arms if a screw- 
press could be made use of), and instead of loaf, moist sugar may 
be used for this small wine, and the straining off the strong liquor 
is now to be commenced. A couple of chairs are stood back 
to back, with the ladder lying upon them, having the bread- 
pan and large white basin between:—Four or six canvass, or, 
what is better, flannel bags, are to become suspended by tin-tacks 
or tying. It is well to have enough; for when, as in my case, 
18 gal. of wine are being made, that quantity takes some time to 
filter through them, and they are disposed between the spokes of 
the ladder to run off the white and red wines into separate utensils. 
Meantime the two milk-pans are placed contiguous to the ar¬ 
rangement, with the squared stakes resting upon them to support 
the casks; so that when they are filled, which the}’ are to be as 
quickly as the liquor allows, and fermentation casts off the scum, 
it is caught within the pans. The little wine comes last, gaining 
extra quality by filtering through the sediment in the bags; 
when it becomes filled into the stone bottles, which are made to 
stand on the ends of the stakes projecting from the sides of the 
milk-pans, having a couple of soup-plates beneath to catch their 
scum; and insomuch as regards the “mess” the wines make in 
working, why it could be placed in-the best parlour for that 
matter. 
The barrels and bottles must be kept quite filled up during 
this process with some spare liquor reserved in a couple of jugs 
for that purpose. Wash the residue from the bogs, spread it on 
the vine-border, and let the utensils be well cleansed. In a 
fortnight’s time from the day the Grapes are gathered the casks 
and bottles containing the wine become deposited on their trains 
in the cellar, where they whisper working; and in another week’s 
time their mouths are gentlystoppcd by slightly dropping the bungs 
into them ; in fourteen days more let the bungs be pressed down 
firmly, and the vent-pegs loosened; and in half that time fasten 
them. When four more months are passed, rack the liquor by 
placing a tub in front of each barrel and drawing out the vent 
and tasting-pegs. The latter are placed two or three inches above 
the tap-holes ; and when the wine begins to run slowly, quietly 
tilt the casks till the sediment appears, which must be emptied 
into a jelly-bag to run off fine what liquid it may contain ; and 
rinse out the casks with some of the weakly tipple, which may 
have been made to undergo its racking some two months pre¬ 
viously. Never use water to rinse out casks when the wine is to 
be returned into them. Place some square-cut pieces of coarse 
canvass over the holes, and force the bungs firmly down; but 
allow the vent-pegs to remain in loosely for a week longer, then 
fasten them. The beginning of April by this time becomes intro¬ 
duced to us, and the wine is left in undisturbed possession till the 
end of the following September. Meanwhile some Champagne- 
bottles of both sizes are sought after in the cheapest market. 1 have 
bought them for less than Is. per dozen ; and they ought always 
to be obtained second-hand for that price, when they require the 
labour of washing, which should be done by warming some water, 
and casting in a modicum of soda where the bottles are laid to 
soak. Two or three ounces of shot successively passed into each 
bottle through a funnel will greatly facilitate the cleaning ope¬ 
ration. Rinse them in clean water, and turn them upside down 
to drain dry. 
The best champagne-corks should be procured, and a cork- 
presser, with a bundle of galvanised bottling-wire will be found 
most desirable adjuncts. And here we are again at the end of 
September, the vintage fast coming on, and by the end of next 
month the casks will be wanted; so, preparatory to bottling, 
prove the clarity of the wine by drawing off some from the tast¬ 
ing-peg. If it prove fine, all well: otherwise, and supposing the 
cask holds from six to nine gallons, allow about a quart to escape 
into a three-pint jug, and immerse therein from one-quarter to 
one-half ounce of best isinglass ; cover over the mouth of the jug 
with a cloth, and place it in a basin of hottish water on a warm 
hob, which will hasten it to dissolve; and then when cooled, take 
out the bung from the cask, and gently pour it in with one hand, 
whilst with the other keep quietly stirring to half-way down the 
barrel with a piece of lath ; replace the bung, and the wine will 
in all probability become fined in three weeks. It is then drawn 
off after the manner one used for racking, and the bottles are 
filled by jug and funnel up to about three inches of their mouths. 
Press and dip each cork in a little of the wine, and drive them 
up firmly and carefully with the mallet to two-tliirds of their 
lengths. Examine a wired cork in a soda-water bottle, and let it 
serve for a pattern, as it is quite necessary that our corks should 
become so secured. Then the bottles are placed away in an 
upright position, or otherwise, according to room, having the 
date of the birth of the wine ticketed legibly over them. The 
strong wine may be kept an indefinite period—the longer the better 
perhaps, but the delicate body will prove grateful by being drunk 
the following summer.— Upwakds and Onwakds. 
(To he continued .) 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
A Catalogue of Select Vegetable, Flower, and Agricultural 
Seeds for 1860. By William Cutbush and Son, Higl/gate, near 
London .—A selection of the best kinds of garden, agricultural, 
and flower-seeds, accompanied with useful remarks on the dif¬ 
ferent varieties. 
Trade Catalogue of Continental Seeds. By Fredericlc William 
Wendel, Erfurt (Prussia), is a copious list of the newest and 
best flower-seeds ; and Mr. Macintosh, Nurseryman, Hammer¬ 
smith, is agent for this country. 
Catalogue et Prix Courant des Arhrcs, Arhrisseaux, et Arbus- 
tes, fruitiers, ferestiers et d' Ornement, de Claude Sahut, Mont¬ 
pelier, is an excellent catalogue, particularly rich in Vines and 
ornamental trees. 
Catalogue of Fruit, Forest, Ornamental Trees, fyc., cfc. By 
Stuart Sf Mein, Kelso, N.B .—This is a neatly got up and well- 
selected catalogue. It contains a useful list of those fruits which 
are best adapted to that locality, prepared with great judgment 
by the Rev. R. O. Bromfield, of Sprouston—an ardent pomologist 
and a successful cultivator. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Saxifraga iivpnoides. —We are informed that this can be obtained of 
Mr. E. Persac, Nurse yman, Exeter. 
Lady Downf.'3 Sef.dlino Grape. — O. C., Armagh, would be obliged by 
being told in our columns the year in which this Grape was raised. 
Roses on their own Roots.— [A. B ). —The twelve best Roses on their 
own roots, in the very centre of England, and in Carshalton, on the other 
side of Sutton, and not far from Epsom Downs, are the following:— 
Souvenir de Malmaison and Devoniensis, Jules MargotHn, Madame Vidot, 
Madame Masson, Baronne Rrevost, Giant des Batailles, Caroline, de 
Sansal, Augustie Mie, General Simpson, General Jacqueminot, and Colonel 
de Rougemont. If you cannot get them all on their own roots, buy them 
ou the lowest stocks you can find, and bury the worked parts in the plant¬ 
ing, as Mr. Rivers very properly recommends to do with those on Manetti 
stocks, and they will soon be on their cwn roots : and as you are near the 
chalk, no other way can answer half so well. 
Vine-bud (J. I\). —Mr. Beaton says that he has no means for proving 
wine Grapes, or even good dessert ones. All that he can undertake about 
Grape Vines is to prove them under his own eve in the climate of London, 
if plants are forwarded to him. He cannot command the necessary care 
for rearing Vines from eyes or cuttings. 
Double Petunias [Great Baddow). —Besides General Ilavetock, crimson, 
Antigone, white, and Le Mcssange, grey’, which you have, the next best 
double Petunias for pots are Jlcsperis, rose and lavender, Lilac Model, 
Madame Miellts, white, Red Cross Banner, fine purple crimson, Monsieur 
Lanier, blush, and Atrato, rose and lilac. 
Erratum. —P. SOS, col. 2, line 35 from bottom, for “north-east” read 
“ south-east.” 
Cyanopiiyllum maonificum and Caladium Culture ( Greenhorn, Ayr¬ 
shire). —This fine-foliaged plant belongs to Melastomaeeae—the same order 
as the Plcroma clegans : hence its flowers may be expected to be something 
similar—that is, with four petals and numerous stamens. We believe it 
has not yet flowered in Europe. Possibly it may require to become more 
woody and have a season of rest before it blooms. As to its propagation 
short’stubby side-shoots well hardened would be the most certain to striae ; 
but the end-shoots and leaves, with a bud at the bottom of each, root 
readily enough if taken off in early spring or summer, planted in sand, 
placed under a bell-glass in a gentle bottom heat. If the leaves are very 
large, they may be reduced by clipping- with a pair of scissors. Yours is a 
most extraordinary plant. The leaves are the largest on record. We 
should be glad to hear when it flowers; and the size, colour, and position 
of the bloom. You have been unfortunate with Caladiums ; but you do not 
say how you have treated them. Had you done so it would have been 
useful as a warning to others, and we should have been able to tell you 
