324 
Ohio  Wine,  Argols  and  Tartaric  Add. 
j  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
I       July,  1885.  ■ 
OHIO  WINE,  AKGOLS  AND  COMMERCIAL  TARTARIC 
ACID. 
By  James  "O.  Howells,  Ph.  G. 
From  an  Inaugural  Essay. 
The  cultivation  of  the  grape  and  the  making  of  wine  have  become 
important  industries  in  this  country,  and  several  of  our  States  like 
California,  New  York  and  Ohio,  have  made  such  progress  as  to  have 
attained  no  little  notice  from  the  annual  production  of  enormous 
quantities  of  tliis  fruit.  I  shall  speak  more  of  the  Ohio  culture  as  I 
was  privileged  to  obtain  the  information  from  Ohio  wine  growers. 
With  the  review  I  also  append  the  result  of  an  examination  of  argols 
obtained  from  the  Ohio  wine,  and  of  tartaric  acid  as  found  in  commerce. 
The  chemical  work  Avas  done  in  the  laboratory  connected  with  the 
Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy. 
The  choice  of  land  in  selecting  a  location  for  planting  a  vineyard  is 
usually  the  hillside  flanking  a  river,  and  having  loose,  warm  soil  and 
a  southern  exposure.  An  abundance  of  sunlight  is  a  necessity,  while 
the  hill  serves  as  a  shelter,  to  the  growth,  from  strong  winds.  Sudden 
changes  of  temperature  are  to  be  guarded  against,  and  this  also  is  a 
consideration  in  the  selection.  The  planting  is  usually  done  by  "cut- 
tings consisting  of  a  portion  of  the  old  stem  and  a  branch  of  the 
previous  year's  growth.  These  are  placed  in  a  series  of  rows  six  or 
eight  feet  a])art  and  about  the  same  distance  between  each  cutting. 
During  the  fruiting  season  the  vines  become  so  heavy  that  artificial 
support  has  to  be  given  them,  which  is  accomplished  by  means  of  four 
or  five  wires  strung  along  in  rows  attached  to  posts,  much  similar  to 
the  modern  barbed  wire  fence. 
In  the  months  of  March  and  April  as  the  sap  is  beginning  to  flow 
the  vines  are  trimmed,  this  being  done  to  give  it  strength  and  it  bears 
more  fruit  if  cultivated.  If  left  alone  the  branches  would  throw  out 
long  slender  tendrils  that  only  take  the  sustenance  from  the  vine  with 
no  return,  as  the  climbing  and  support,  the  office  of  the  tendrils,  is  done 
artificially.  The  trimmed  branches  are  tied  to  the  wires  by  the  use  of 
willow  shoots,  this  operation  being  done  once  or  twice  during  the 
summer.  The  flowers  appear  about  the  month  of  June,  and  the  fruit 
ripens  during  September  and  October.  The  fruit  for  most  uses  is 
gathered  when  fully  ripe ;  for  its  excellent  flavor  is  best  appreciated  at 
