The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-10-15


L do not approve of summer pruning {;
vines and fruit require all the shelter they
can muster TO preserve them from our burn
ing sun. Persons engaged in the grape
culture should not lose sight of pruning it
is to moderate and cquaIize the production
Of fruit, thereby improving its quality, and
sparing the health and life Of the vine. We
are often told that this or that person has
vine, which is never pruncd, climbs to the
summit of high trees, bears abundantly, is
very old, etc. A single vine is very differ
cnt from twelve hundred to the acrc-and
IN many parts of Italy, where they have
adopted the tree culture, the quality of the
wine, which formerly ranked high, has
completely been destroyed. never wish
to sec my vines average more than from
twelve to fifteen lunches each. Quality is
better than quantity.
The Catawba seemed to have usurpcd the
most prominent place among tho natives.
At the West it is by far the greatest favor
ite; perhaps, there arc others do not sue
cced as well. At the South, most persons
are following in the wake of our Western
brethren, and have taken it for granted that
none others arc worth cultivating and con-
denim without trial, or even without
knowing them. The CJtawba is certainly
beautiful looking grape, and great
bearer; but it is honicd and wild musky
flavor, (Which is unfortunately too strongly
retained in the winc,) is very serious OBJ
lection for a palate accustomed to a more
delicate fruit or beverage. The "boquet,"
or perfume, of vino is precious quality,
but this has ''too much Of the good thing"
Foreign grapes must be discarded for
wincmaking. After a fair trial, we, like
many others, have come to the conclusion
that they cannot stand our climate.
OF all the natives that have come within
my reach, I give a decided preference to
the Warren and the Isabella, both great
bearers, but, like the Catawba, subject to
the rot. The former makes delicate wine
of the color Of Madeira, but not SO strong;
the latter, a light beautiful colored Clarct
very similar 20 Bordeaux wines. also, like
what we here call the burgundy and Black
July. (both misnamcd,) )-thc first being the
best table grape VIC have in this country,
and making delightful Madeira colorcd
wine; the Black July makes very dark,
rich. red wine, not unlike Port These two
vines arc not great bearers, but their fruit
does not rot
MAKING WINE.
My process for making wine is different
from that followed in the West and in
Georgia. The grapes being gathered, and
all unsound or green berries removed, they
are thrown into large tubs, or half barrels,
and thoroughly crushed with the hand the
contents are then cmpticd into large vats,
(hoghcads.) which arc filled to within four
teen inches of the top; cover these with
homesrun and boards, to keep out gnats
and flies. In a very short time fermenta-
tion commences the mass swels and rises
to tile top, and should be pressed down with
wooden paddle, two or three times per
day. The next morning the clear Juice is
drawn from fascet, near the bottom. and
poured into barrel; when no more Juice
comes out, the mass in the vat is then car
Hed to the press and what liquid remains
in i: is squeezed out; this is usually very
thick, and is put into another barrel, as it is
OF inferior quality. BE sure that your bar
rcls are filed to within three inches of the
bung; less than that would leave too much
air in contact with the wine, and would
cause it 10 sour; more than that would
cause 1t to overflow in the fermentation
which for a few days will be very l,isk;
when this has subsided, fill the barrels to
one inch of the bung, with wine reserved
for that purpose, and close the bungs tight
Iy. BE very careful that the barrels, tubs,
vats, ETC., be all perfectly clean and sweet,
as the slightest degree of uncleanliness
would be fatal to the wine.
There now remains nothing to do until
the next winter, when the wine is drawn
into other barrels in order to clarity it. The
dark Claret is allowed 10 ferment on the
skins for four or five days, in order to ex-
tract all the color; it is then treated as the
others.
Another item, believed by many to be posi-
lively indispensable and the cost of which
is very considerable is cellar. Till now
our wine cellars have been but very slight
board-houses on the surface, and we have
lost no wine from acidity, except where we
could trace it to leakage, or some other
cause. And in order still moro 10 cheaper
and simplify the business, and remove all