Smyrna times., 1854-07-26
Written for the Smyrna Times.
Bible Temperance mo. 5.
BY JOHANAN.

| AHE simple un1ermented juice of the grape
or other fruit, is good creature of God Be-
cause Jehovah caused the earth to bring forth
this delicious fruit and wholesome beverage,
and pronounced them good, when he created
the herb of the field and the fruits of the earth.
Gen. l, IL, II. Alcohol does not grow, neither
is it good for food.-Ps 104, IA, Is. See the
beautiful description here given by the Psalm
Ist, OF the bounties of Divine Providence
The VINE here spoken of is not alcoholic, be-
cause 1t grows and is for the food of man-the
same as grass for cattle-the herb and bread
for man, and the olive oil for food and to anolnt
himself. This is a reason why the grape will
grow In mountainous, rocky countries where
little else will grow, and where the vine-
drCsser, under the shade of the vine, at his
daily repast, enjoys his bowl of simple, unadul-
terated wine, with his brown bread-the same
as the shepherd does his milk. Even at the
present day it is much used by the peasant as
part OF his allment, and many hearty family
are raised up by the use of this nutritious bev-
erage-yes this wholesome beverage often re-
treshes the poor peasant and his family in their
daily toll. Think not there is no 10Y arising in
the bosom of the pious vine-dresser, as weary
and exhausted he reclnes beneath the shade of
the vine, and there breathes the peculiar fra
GRANGE of its opening blossoms, tastes the rich
flavor of its ripening fruits, or allays his burn
ing thirst with the delicious and refreshing
beverage pressed fresh from its overhanging
clusters-grateful to God for the rich bounties
of his Providence.
But the inquiry may naturally arse-What
does the vine-dresser do for his blood of the
grape at those seasons of the year after the
vintage! How does he keep it from ferment-
ing These are proper inquiries and shall be
properly answered. They kept it in various
ways, and thus preserve the wholesome bever-
age. We must remember that, climate has a
very material influence upon the growth and
preservation Of fruits and grains. Hence, we
must take their own testimony in regard to
these things, and not Judge of their fruits by
what we know of our own.
There were several yintages in Palestine
extending from the close of harvest to seeding
time-Lev. 26, 5; Amos 8, 13,-whch was
from June and July to October and November.
Grasses were ripe in June and July; but the
first vintage generally took place in August,
the second in September and the third in Oc-
tober so that the vintage itself lasted about
one-third of the year. When the grapes
were not gathered they would remain on
the vines until November and December.-
The wine given as tithes to the priests, that
used at the Passover and in their offerings gem
orally, was unfermented; hence they had sew
eral very effectual ways of arrestng fermenta-
ton:
l. For present use some was put in closely
stopped vessels, set away in a cool place in the
wine cellar, or buried in the ground, when it
would keep several months without fermenting
MIR. Delavan states that, while in Italy, " wine
of this character was exhibited to him in Janu-
ary, which was several months after vintage"
2. "Oxygen is necessary to produce decay"
Fermentation begins with decay and is mainly
caused by it; hence, in order to hinder fermen-
tation, it is necessary to hinder the absorption
of oxygen. In order to do this, they took a
large liquid measure, called an Amphora, and
coated it with pitch within and without; it was
then filled with the juice before the grapes had
been fully trodden and corked so as to be per-
fectly alright. 1t was then immersed in a
tank of cold fresh water, or buried in wet sand.
and allowed to remain for six weeks or two
months, The contents, after this process, were
found to remain unchanged for year. Others
took frkins of stoneware, and filled them with
the new wine, making them air-tight, when
: they were buried in the cool Wine cellars
Putresble substances may be preserved inde-
finitely," says a certain Chemist, "by being en-
closed in metallic cases from which the air has
= been completely removed or excluded"
3. "a solution of pure or grape sugar in an
open or enclosed vessel may be preserved un.
altered for any length of time; but, if putresi-
BILE, azotyzed matter be present, in the proper
state of decay, the sugar is converted into alco
hol." Hence, gluten, or putresble, azotyzed
matter is necessary, as we have already shown
to produce fermentation; eradicate this, anC
there is no fermentation. This was done by q
series of flterings and strainings, by which the
putresible matter, or gluten, was abstracteC
y and the wine thoroughly refiened. Hence tn,
expression in Isaiah 25, g.: :" of wines on the
lees well refned,'--meaning, wine, WELL re-
> peatedly and carefully strained, and the power
: to ferment or generate alcohol, thus taker
!, away" In this state it could be kept any
: length of time.
!. a. They boiled the new wine down to ,
syrup--the same as maple sugar or cider il
;. done at the present day. The wine of Pales
;. tine, being usually made from very swee
grapes were susceptible of being boiled to
very thick consistency" Il could thus be KEEP
= all the year, and, when wanted for use, it wa
MIXED with Water and called wine---fnrming