214 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  2,  1897. 
each  gallon  add  3  ozs.  of  ground  ginger  and  3  ozs.  of  allspice.  Boil 
the  ■water  half  an  hour  and  then  strain  it  into  the  fermenting  tub. 
When  cooled  to  6°  Fahr.  add  1  oz.  of  argol  to  the  gallon,  previously 
dissolved  in  a  portion  of  the  liquor,  and  also  add  j^east  on  a  toast. 
Test  the  gravity  again  by  the  saccharometer,  and  if  it  is  below  120 
raise  it  to  that  standard  by  the  addition  of  sugar,  and  stir  the  whole, 
aaitating  it  freely.  When  the  gravity  is  reduced  to  90  by  fermenta¬ 
tion  it  is  to  be  put  in  the  cask  and  the  fermentation  encouraged  till  the 
gravity  is  reduced  to  50  or  60.  Care  must  he  taken  to  keep  the  cask 
quite  full  to  the  hunghole  to  enable  the  wine  to  throw  off  its  impurities, 
and  when  the  fermentation  has  ceased  rack  it  off,  cleanse  the  cask  with 
hot  water,  and  return  the  wine  to  it  while  the  cask  is  warm,  fill  it  up 
to  the  hung,  and  let  it  remain  in  the  cask  twelve  months  before 
bottling  it. 
2,  The  following  recipe,  which  we  had  from  a  lady  in  Gloucester¬ 
shire  who  made  a  wine  of  very  excellent  quality,  will,  if  followed, 
give  a  fine  wine : — To  every  gallon  of  Elderberries  put  4  (juarts  of 
water  and  stir  them  every  day  for  a  week.  Boil  the  whole  for  half 
an  hour,  then  strain  off  the  liquor,  and  to  every  gallon  add  3  lbs.  of 
sugar.  Boil  it  again  for  half  an  hour,  skimming  it  well  all  the  time, 
and  to  every  6  gallons  add  1  lb  of  ginger,  2  ozs.  of  allspice,  and  1  oz.  of 
cloves.  Let  it  stand  in  an  open  vessel  till  it  is  blood- warm,  and  then 
work  it  with  yeast  on  a  toast.  In  three  days  put  it  in  the  casks. 
3,  Another  very  excellent  recipe  which  we  have  practised  for 
several  years  produces  an  Elder  wine  of  very  superior  quality.  Boil 
ten  gallons  of  water,  and  when  cold  add  10  lbs.  of  raisins  cut  or 
chopped  small.  Let  them  ferment  for  ten  days,  stirring  them  twice 
every  day.  At  the  end  of  the  ten  days  strain  the  liquor  through  a  flannel 
bag,  and  add  to  three  quarts  of  the  juice  of  Elderberries  a  little  juice 
of  Sloes.  Put  the  whole  into  a  cask,  and  add  3|-  lbs.  of  moist  sugar, 
and  a  quarter  of  an  ounce  of  isinglass  dissolved  in  a  little  of  the  liquor 
with  a  pint  of  brandy.  Let  it  stand  for  three  or  four  months,  and 
afterwards  bottle  it. 
1’aesnip  Wine. 
Take  125  lbs.  of  well-grown  sound  Parsnips.  Scrape  and  wash 
them  thoroughly.  Cut  each  root  into  four  longitudinal  pieces,  and 
then  cut  these  into  jiieces  3  inches  long.  Put  them  into  a  boiler  with 
25  gallons  of  soft  spring  water,  and  let  them  boil  for  an  hour  and  a 
half  without  bruising  the  roots.  Then  strain  the  clear  liquor  through 
a  fine  sieve  into  the  fermenting  tub,  and  after  testing  its  gravity  add 
immediately  1  lb.  of  powdered  argol  previously  dissolved  in  the  liquor, 
and  bring  up  the  gravity  by  the  addition  of  sugar  till  it  stands  at  120. 
When  the  liquor  has  cooled  to  80”  or  85°  add  a  pint  of  good  brewers’ 
yeast,  then  cover  it  up  with  a  flannel  cloth,  placing  a  board  over  to 
keeji  it  close. 
Stir  the  liquor  every  day,  and  test  its  gravity  till  this  is  reduced 
to  90  or  even  80  of  the  saccharometer.  At  this  stage  take  out  2  ([uarts 
and  warm  it  to  the  degree  of  90  by  the  thermometer,  and  add  to  it  a 
(juarter  of  a  pint  of  good  brewers’  yeast.  In  the  meantime  skim  off 
the  frothy  head  of  the  must  in  the  fermenting  tub,  and  preserve  it  in 
a  bottle  for  future  use,  and  then  add  these  2  quarts  of  must  and  yeast 
to_the  mass. 
Preiiare  an  18-gallon  cask  by  well  washing  and  scalding  it ;  and 
while  yet  warm  strain  the  liquor  into  it,  filling  it  to  the  bung,  and  let 
it  work  over,  adding  to  the  loss  with  liquor  reserved  for  the  purpose. 
As  soon  as  the  hissing  ceases  bung  it  up  close,  and  have  a  vent-hole 
which  can  be  opened  at  pleasure,  but  which  it  is  desirable  to  close  as 
soon  as  possible. 
March  is  the  best  month  for  making  Parsnip  wine.  In  December 
it  should  be  racked,  and  in  the  March  following  it  should  be  fined  for 
bottling. 
Ehubarb  Wine. 
This  is  a  very  palatable  and  good  wine  when  properly  made,  but 
on  account  of  the  quantity  of  oxalate  of  lime  it  contains  it  is  injurious 
to  constitutions  that  have  a  gouty  tendency.  This  is  not  the  place  to 
outer  into  a  medical  view  of  the  case,  but  we  would  recommend  those 
who  wish  to  indulge  in  the  use  of  Ilhubai’b  wine  as  a  beverage  to 
consult  their  medical  attendant  before  using  it. 
To  make  10  gallons  of  Ehubarb  wine  take  60  lbs.  of  the  stalks  of 
the  leaves  of  Ehubarb  unpeeled.  Cut  these  in  pieces  and  bruise  them 
Avith  a  mallet,  or  pass  them  between  rollers,  such  as  a  wringing 
machine,  Avithout  cutting  them.  Put  them  in  the  fermenting  tub,  and 
pour  5  gallons  of  cold  Avater  over  them,  leaving  them  to  macerate  for 
twelve  or  sixteen  hours ;  then  press  the  whole,  returning  the  juice 
Avliich  has  been  expressed  to  the  fermenting  tub.  Add  30  lbs.  of 
sugar,  or  as  much  as  is  necessary  to  raise  the  gravity  to  110  if  a 
sparkling  wine  is  desirable,  and  to  120  if  a  still  wine ;  also  4  ozs.  of 
powdered  argol,  and  enough  Avater  to  make  the  quantity  of  liquor  up 
10^  gallons.  CoA’er  the  tub  Avith  a  blanket,  and  place  it  in  a  tempera¬ 
ture  of  55°  or  60°.  Stir  it  occasionally  for  three  days  to  encourage  the 
fermentation,  and  then  strain  it  through  flannel  into  a  cask,  which 
must  be  kept  full  to  the  bung  till  fei-mentation  ceases.  As  soon  as 
the  gravity  of  the  Avine  is  reduced  to  40  the  cask  may  be  removed  to 
the  cellar  and  the  bung  fixed  firmly  in. 
In  a  month  or  six  weeks  the  Avine  may  be  fined  and  draAvn  off 
into  a  clean  cask,  or  returned  to  the  same  one  after  being  properly 
cleaned.  The  cask  may  now  be  finally  stopped  close  and  left  till  the 
time  of  bottling.  If  a  sparkling  wine  is  desired  it  must  be  bottled  in 
March  following,  with  the  corks  safely  wired;  but  if  a  still  wine  it 
should  remain  in  the  cask  at  least  a  twelvemonth  before  being  bottled. 
(To  be  continued.) 
SIXTY  YEARS’  PROaRESS  IN  HORTICULTURE. 
While  we  all  acknowledge  the  wonderful  strides  in  other  arts  and 
sciences,  of  which  we  have  been  reminded  so  much  of  late,  1  claim  that 
the  science  of  horticulture  with  which  we  are  all  so  closely  connected  can 
lay  a  fair  claim  to  a  share  in  the  improvement  of  our  country.  Fruit, 
vegetables,  and  flowers,  as  food  for  the  body  and  gratification  of  the 
senses,  form  a  very  important  element  in  the  necessities  of  life.  When 
we  compare  our  resources  noAV  to  what  they  were  sixty  years  ago  we 
Avonder  hoAv  our  forefathers  lived,  worked,  and  battled  as  well  as  they 
did.  The  changes  and  improvements  in  the  method  of  production  have 
been  so  great,  and  the  varieties  that  have  been  introduced  so  numeroAis, 
that  I  am  afraid  I  shall  have  to  omit  many  important  items  that  might  be 
dwelt  on  with  advantage,  or  I  shall  occupy  more  time  than  can  be 
allowed. 
Feuit.‘<. 
Nothing  is  so  noticeable  in  the  gardener’s  career  as  the  decline  in  the 
cultivation  of  the  Pine  Apple.  In  the  olden  times  it  was  the  gardener’s 
ambition  to  be  able  to  grow  and  fruit  a  Pine  Apple,  and  keep  up  a 
succession  by  the  aid  of  varieties  like  the  Queen  for  the  summer,  and  the 
Smooth  Cayenne  and  Black  .lamaicafor  the  winter.  The  bark  from  the 
tan  yards  supplied  the  fermenting  material  in  which  to  plunge  the  plants, 
while  pits  for  the  suckers  and  the  succession  plants,  with  houses  or  pits  to 
fruit  them  in,  were  considered  a  necessity  in  all  aristocratic  establishments. 
Now,  however,  the  introduction  of  steam  has  brought  .lamaica  and  other 
foreign  climes  within  touch  of  the  mother  country,  and  fruit  can  be 
brought  in  such  good  condition  so  quickly  that  it  is  only  in  the  very  old 
establishments  that  Pine  groAving  is  carried  on  to  any  extent. 
There  is  no  doubt  the  cultivation  of  Grapes  has  been  a  very  important 
feature  during  the  period  under  notice,  and  when  Sir  Robert  Peel  took  the 
duty  oOE  glass  little  could  he  have  foreseen  the  very  great  advantage  it 
would  prove  to  the  cultivation  of  Grapes  and  other  fruits,  vegetables  and 
floAvers.  Since  that  time,  and  particularly  in  the  last  twenty-five  years. 
Grape  growing  for  market  has  developed  enormously.  We  read  of  one 
place  alone  having  20  acres  of  glass  houses,  from  only  one  of  which 
structures  7  tons  of  Grapes  have  been  cut  in  one  season,  while  from  the 
whole  100  tons  of  Grapes  went  to  mai’ket.  Mr.  George  Munro.  the 
great  salesman  of  Covent  Garden  ^larket,  had  22  tons  through  his  hands 
in  the  four  days  preceding  Christmas,  1896. 
Of  the  varieties  Black  Hamburgh  and  Muscat  of  Alexandria  Avere  in 
existence  at  the  beginning  of  the  Victorian  era,  but  we  can  lay  claim  to 
many  introductions  of  good  serviceable  keeping  Grapes  Avhich  prolong  the 
season.  Notable  amongst  these  are  Alicante,  introduced  rather  more 
than  thirty  years  ago  ;  Lady  Downe’s  Seedling  and  Foster’s  Seedling, 
Gros  Colman,  Madresfield  Court,  Gros  Maroc,  Buckland  Siveetwater,  and 
Duke  of  Buccleuch.  Then  we  must  not  forget  two  good  Grapes  raised  in 
the  Isle  of  Wight  by  Mr.  Myers,  late  gardener  to  Mrs.  Hutt,  Appley 
q’owers,  only  a  few  years  ago.  ( )ne  of  these,  a  black  variety  named 
Appley  Towers,  Avill,  I  believe,  be  grown  largely  for  market  as  a  good 
late  keeping  one. 
The  cultivation  of  Peaches  and  Nectarines  has  developed  remarkably 
of  late  years,  and  to  Mr.  Thos.  Rivers  of  Sawbridgeworth  belongs  the 
honour  and  credit  of  introducing  some  fine  varieties.  A  luscious  Peach 
or  Nectarine  of  the  best  quality  is  always  acceptable,  and  is  very  highly 
appreciated  by  most  persons. 
Something  wonderful  has  been  accomplished  in  the  culture  and 
development  of  the  trade  in  the  king  of  fruits,  as  Apples  are  sometimes 
called,  both  at  home  and  in  our  Colonies.  Although  they  have  been 
grown  in  some  fashion  or  other  for  centuries,  it  is  Avithin  the  last  thirty 
years  that  extra  attention  has  been  directed  to  the  improvement  in  culture 
and  varieties  and  the  uprooting  of  many  worthless  sorts.  The  favourite 
plan  of  training  in  the  olden  times  Avas  espaliers,  but  they  are  gradually 
dropping  out  of  fashion,  although  the  cordon  style,  Avhich  is  but  a 
modification,  is  adopted  by  Avay  of  change  in  man}'  establishments.  There 
were  some  very  good  Apples  at  the  beginning  of  the  Victorian  era.  Cox’s 
Orange  Pippin  and  Blenheim  Orange  were  introduced  prior  to  1837,  but 
such  splendid  varieties  as  Lord  Sufiield,  Potts’  Seedling,  Bismarck,  Lane’s 
Prince  Albert,  Bramley’s  Seedling,  Lord  Derby,  New  llawthornden, 
Newton  Wonder,  Gascoyne’s  Scarlet,  and  Worcester  Pearmain  are  all 
valuable  additions  during  the  period.  Pears  have  also  been  improved  by 
the  addition  of  such  sterling  varieties  as  Doyenne  du  Cornice,  Pitmaston 
Duchess,  Beurr^  Superfin,  and  many  others. 
Plums,  again,  have  been  augmented  by  Monarch,  The  Czar,  Grand 
Duke,  and  the  Early  and  Late  Transparent  Gage,  each  of  Avhich  is  of  the 
first  merit.  The  old  Green  Gage,  one  of  the  most  delicious  of  fruits, 
was  already  in  cultivation,  and  so  I  believe  Avas  Victoria,  under  the  name 
of  Sharpe’s  Emperor,  but  in  1844  it  Avas  introduced  as  a  neAv  variety 
