August  26,  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
187 
points  for  our  consideration.  As  many  of  us  are  aware,  a  shallow  soil 
with  a  gravel  subsoil  is  about  the  worst  land  it  is  possible  to  have,  for 
such  a  soil  allows  the  rain  to  pass  through  it  freely,  and  there  is  no 
means  of  holding  it  at  a  depth  which  is  of  any  value  to  plants.  A 
light  soil  resting  upon  a  clayey  subsoil  is  a  good  combination,  although 
the  latter  may  require  to  be  trenched  and  drained.  The  clay  would 
retain  plenty  of  moisture,  which  would  be  brought  within  the  reach  of 
the  roots  of  plants  by  capillary  attraction.  It  is  very  beneficial  to 
plants  to  break  up  the  subsoil,  even  if  it  is  not  suitable  to  bring  or 
mix  it  with  the  surface  soil.  A  deep  soil  and  subsoil  allows  the  roots 
of  plants  gi'eater  freedom  and  more  root  room,  and  crops  are  not  so 
liable  to  feel  the  effect  of  drought,  because  the  soil  by  its  greater  bulk 
is  capable  of  retaining  a  large  quantity  of  water. — W.  Dyke. 
(To  b«  continued.) 
HOME-MADE  WINES. 
Currant  Wine. 
To  make  18  gallons  of  this  wine  take  28  gallons  of  fruit  picked 
from  the  stalks  and  perfectly  ripe.  Let  it  be  thoroughly  bruised  and 
put  into  the  fermenting  tub.  Strain  out  a  portion  of  the  juice  and 
test  its  gravity  by  the  saccharometer.  Allow  the  mass  to  remain 
until  it  is  found  that  the  gravity  of  the  juice  begins  to  decrease. 
Then  let  the  juice  be  strained  off  and  the  skins  of  the  fruit  well 
pressed,  and  when  pressed  throw  the  skins  into  a  tub  and  pour  2  gallons 
of  cold  water  over  them  to  extract  the  remaining  good  they  may 
contain.  Press  them  again,  and  what  juice  is  obtained  mix  it  with 
the  other,  wLich  must  be  returned  to  the  cask  without  a  head. 
The  pure  juice  is  now  to  be  tested  by  the  saccharometer,  and  if  it 
stand  at  any  degree  above  30°  it  is  to  be  reduced  to  that  point  by  the 
addition  of  cold  soft  water.  From  the  specific  gravity  of  30  it  must 
now  be  raised  to  that  of  120  by  the  addition  of  sugar,  which  will 
probably  take  about  2^  lbs.  to  every  gallon  of  liquor.  When  the 
sugar  has  been  dissolved  fermentation  will  commence,  and  now  a  pound 
of  powdered  argol  is  to  be  added  to  the  must. 
Every  day  the  must  is  to  be  tested  by  the  saccharometer  till  it  is 
found  to  have  decreased  to  from  80  to  90.  When  it  is  at  80  it  is 
to  be  drawn  off  from  the  tub  into  a  cask,  which  has  been  previously 
well  washed  with  boiling  water,  and  while  it  is  yet  warm,  as  this 
tends  to  keep  up  the  vinous  fermentation  in  the  cask.  The  bung- 
hole  must  be  left  open  to  enable  the  wine  to  throw  off  its  yeast  and 
impurities,  and  as  it  shrinks  in  the  cask  keep  filling  it  up  to  the 
bunghole  with  that  which  has  been  reserved  in  the  2-gallon  cask. 
Fermentation  must  be  encouraged  in  every  way  until  the  gravity  has 
been  reduced  to  30,  when  the  cask  may  be  bunged  up.  The  wine 
ought  to  remain  in  cask  till  November  twelve  months  befijre  it  is 
bottled. 
Black  Currant  Wine. 
The  same  directions  for  making  Currant  wine,  which  have  already 
been  described,  will  apply  to  making  ordinary  ]31ack  Currant  wine  ; 
but  when  a  very  superior  quality  is  required  the  followdng  process 
must  be  adopted  :  —To  two  parts  of  fruit  take  one  part  of  water — 
that  is,  to  every  2  gallons  of  fruit  take  1  gallon  of  water.  Crush  the 
fruit  gently  and  put  in  a  tub,  then  add  the  water.  Stir  them 
together,  and  then  put  them  into  a  copper  and  boil  them  for  ten 
minutes,  after  which  draw  off  and  strain.  The  berries  are  now  to  be 
pressed,  and  2  additional  gallons  of  water  poured  on  them,  and  this 
also  is  to  be  strained  from  them  and  added  to  the  original  quantity. 
When  the  liquor  is  cooled  down  to  a  temperature  of  90°,  wdiich 
must  be  ascertained  by  the  thermometer,  it  is  to  be  tested  by  the 
saccharometer  and  enough  lump  sugar  added  to  raise  the  gravity  of 
the  must  to  125.  One  pound  of  powdered  argol  is  now  to  be  added 
to  every  20  gallons  of  must,  and  when  the  temperature  falls  to 
85°  put  in  a  pint  of  good  fresh  brewers’  yeast.  Fermentation  is  now 
to  be  encouraged  till  the  specific  gravity  is  reduced  to  50,  when  the 
wine  is  to  be  put  into  well-cleansed  casks,  and  the  longer  it  is  kept  in 
the  wood  before  bottling  the  better  it  will  be. 
Kipe  Gooseberry  Wine. 
Take  10  gallons  of  ripe  Gooseberries,  bruise  them  and  throw  them 
into  a  tub,  where  they  are  to  remain  for  twenty-four  hours,  and  be 
afterwards  pressed  in  a  haircloth  or  canvas  bag.  Eeturn  the  mass  to 
the  tub  and  pour  5  gallons  of  moderately  warm  water  over  it, 
mixing  the  whole  well  together.  After  remaining  for  about  twelve 
hours  take  it  out  and  press  it  again  through  a  haircloth  or  canvas 
bag,  the  liquor  from  this  second  pressing  being  added  to  the  original. 
Now  test  the  gravity  of  the  liquor  by  the  saccharometer,  and  raise  it 
by  the  addition  of  sugar  to  120.  As  soon  as  fermentation  begins  add 
for  each  gallon  of  the  liquor  1  oz.  of  powdered  argol.  When  fermenta¬ 
tion  has  nearly  ceased  draw  it  off  into  a  cask,  which  must  be  kept 
constantly  filled  to  the  bung-hole  from  the  reserve  which  has  been 
kept  for  the  purpose.  The  liquor  is  to  be  frequently  tested  by  the 
saccharometer,  and  when  it  has  been  reduced  to  25°  or  30°  it  is  to  be 
bunged  up  and  allowed  to  remain  for  twelve  months,  when  it  may  be 
fined  and  bottled,  or  left  in  the  cask  to  mature. 
Cherry  Wine. 
(1) .  The  best  Cherries  for  this  purpose  are  the  Black  Heart,  Black 
Corone,  Mazzards,  Merries,  or  Geans. 
Bemove  the  stalks,  then  bruise  the  fruit  thoroughly  without  crush¬ 
ing  the  stones,  strain  out  the  juice,  and  to  every  gallon  of  juice  add  a 
gallon  of  water.  Put  half  the  quantity  of  water  already  used  over  the 
fruit  which  has  been  strained.  Stir  all  well  up  together,  leave  them 
for  twenty-four  hours,  and  then  press  the  liquor  from  the  fruit,  and 
add  it  to  the  former  quantity. 
Test  the  liquor  by  the  .saccharometer,  and  add  sufficient  sugar  to 
raise  the  gravity  to  120.  To  every  gallon  of  the  juice  add  1  oz.  of 
powdered  argol.  Draw  the  liquor  off  into  a  cask  filled  to  the  bung  ; 
and  as  the  bulk  wastes  by  fermentation  keep  the  cask  filled  from  a 
reserve  which  has  been  kept.  When  the  hissing  has  ceased,  and  the 
gravity  has  been  reduced  to  30,  bung  up  the  cask,  and  allow  it  to 
remain  till  November  twelve  months  before  bottling. 
(2) .  This  second  recipe  is  for  a  wine  of  somewhat  different  character, 
and  of  very  superior  quality  to  the  former,  and  may  be  preferred  for 
the  noyeau  flavour  supplied  by  the  crushed  kernels  and  the  addition 
of  the  Kaspberries. 
To  make  a  9-gallon  cask  of  wine  will  require  190  lbs.  of  fruit, 
allowing  for  the  waste  in  the  fermentation. 
The  Cherries  to  be  used  are  the  same  as  those  already  mentioned 
in  the  first  recipe.  They  must  be  ripe  and  sound.  After  bruising 
them,  remove  the  stones  and  allow  the  pulp  to  remain  in  the  ferment¬ 
ing  tub  for  twenty-four  or  twenty-six  hours,  so  that  the  skin  may 
during  that  time  yield  up  all  its  colouring  matter ;  then  strain  the 
whole  through  a  cloth.  3'est  the  juice  by  the  saccharometer,  and 
add  as  much  sugar  as  will  raise  its  density  to  120°.  Put  into  a 
cask,  reserving  some  to  fill  up  what  is  lost  by  the  fermentation.  This 
will  be  at  the  rate  of  about  3  quarts  per  5  gallons.  Add  1  oz.  of 
powdered  argol  to  the  gallon.  When  the  fermentation,  which  will  last 
fifteen  or  eighteen  days,  has  ceased,  bruise  the  stones,  add  them  to  the 
wine,  and  bung  up  the  cas  <.  Let  it  remain  in  the  cellar  for  three  or 
fimr  months,  and  bottle  it  off.  It  will  add  to  the  flavour  of  the  wine 
if  a  few  pounds  of  Raspberry  juice  is  added  before  fermentation  has 
ceased. 
Raspberry  Wine. 
To  every  gallon  of  ripe  Raspberries  picked  from  the  stalks  put 
half  a  gallon  of  water.  Stir  them  well  up  together,  and  thoroughly 
bruise  the  fruit.  Strain  off  the  liquor,  and  squeeze  all  the  juice  from 
the  fruit,  adding  it  to  the  liquor  which  was  previously  drawn  off. 
Test  the  weight  of  the  liquor  by  the  saccharometer,  and  make  it  up 
to  120  by  the  addition  of  sugar.  To  every  gallon  of  liquor  put 
1  oz.  of  argol  powdered  and  dissolved  in  a  portion  of  the  liquor.  Put 
it  all  into  a  cask,  and  allow  it  to  ferment  till  the  gravity  is 
reduced  to  30,  and  keeping  the  cask  full  as  the  liquor  shrinks  by  the 
fermentation.  When  I'ermentation  is  complete  bung  up  the  cask, 
and  at  the  end  of  three  months  rack  it  either  into  a  clean  cask,  or  return 
it  to  the  old  one  after  it  has  been  thoroughly  rinsed  and  cleaned.  In 
six  months  more  it  may  be  fined  and  then  bottled. 
Orange  Wine. 
Boil  20  gallons  of  water,  and  when  nearly  cold  jiour  it  upon 
60  lbs.  of  raisins  cut  or  chopped  small.  Let  them  work  together  in 
the  fermenting  tub  for  ten  days,  stirring  them  twice  every  day. 
In  the  meantime  procure  120  sweet  Oranges,  and  pare  them  as 
thin  as  possible,  preserving  the  skins.  Cut  the  Oranges  in  two  and 
squeeze  out  the  juice,  putting  it  and  the  pulp  into  a  tub  or  other 
vessel. 
As  soon  as  the  laisins  have  remained  the  required  time  in  the 
fermenting  tub  strain  off  the  liquor  and  press  the  raisins,  extracting  all 
the  juice.  Pleasure  the  liquor,  and  if  it  has  lost  in  quantity  add  as 
much  water  as  is  deficient  to  the  refuse  of  the  raisins,  which  stir  up 
in  it,  and  after  pressing  add  the  liquor  to  the  original  quantity.  Heat 
a  quantity  of  the  liquor  to  170' and  pour  it  on  the  peels  of  the 
Dranges;  and  when  cooled  down  to  90°"  press  them  and  mix  with  the 
raisin  liquor,  which  must  now  be  poured  on  the  juice  and  pulps  of  the 
Oranges,  there  to  remain  for  one  night.  Stir  it  up  next  day  and 
Btrai  i  it. 
Now  test  the  gravity  by  the  saccharometer,  and  it  will  probably 
bi  about  45.  Make  it  up  to  120  with  the  addition  of  sugar,  at  the 
same  time  add  three-quarters  of  a  pound  of  argol,  which  must  be 
previously  dissolved  in  2  quarts  of  the  hot  liquor.  Leave  it  till  it 
shows  90  gravity  by  tho  saccharometer,  when  it  is  to  be  put  into  an 
18-gallon  cask,  reserving  2  quarts;  in  one  of  which  dissolve  half  an 
ounce  of  cochineal  previously  well  pounded,  and  in  the  other  1  oz.  of 
isinglass,  and  when  they  are  cold  add  them  to  the  cask,  stirring  them 
well  up  together.  Leave  the  barrel  without  bunging  it  for  a  fortnight, 
and  then  bung  it  up. 
(To  be  continued.) 
