Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-07-02
For the Journal.
ScuPpernoRg Grapes and Wine.
kENANsYILLE. June 2Sth. 1869,

hENANsvILLE, juno 2Sth. 1869.
Dear J0urn0L:-I am more and more
convinced that our Scupper0ong will be
come the standard grape Of this section
and will be the source of great wealth and
prosperity to our people. Each years ex
periments prove more and more the value
Of this grape for wine making, and it must
ultimately become the beverage of the
country.
! Below [ send you the result of the anal
ysls OF samples Of pure Scuppernong wine
made without sugar or spirits. 1 sent
! three samples of wines, made from grapes
| gathered in September, October and No.
vember. The analyses are of the two first
The Chief Chemist of the Patent Office
wrote me that the wine made from the
grapes gathered in November could not
yet be analysed, that its great quantity OF
sugar lad not fermented, and that he
would not be surprised if this wine would
show 20 per cent. of proof spirit, with a
very fine flavor, and double the amount OF
spirit tEat high priced Rhine wine con-
talns. 1t will be seen from the statement
below, that the wine made from the grapes
gathered in October, has nearly twelve per
cent. proof spirit, and all the Ingredients
necessary to make fine wine.
| hope these facts will open the eyes OF
our people to the great value of the Scupper-
nong, and realize what blessing they
have in the perfection to which it grows
IN this climate 1t is to be hoped that
moro general attention will be paid to its
cultivation. Our people, however, must
become familiar with the characteristics OF
| the wine and it's demands. If left neglec-
ted and nncared for, as is too often the
case, we cannot expect good results to flow
| from the production of the Scnppernong.
I hope soon to be able to send you some
practical observations, gathered from my
own experiments, upon the cultivation OF
! this great grape.
Next month is the time for important
work, if one wishes to raise his own plants.
| The sprouts of this years growth from
young vines must be put in the ground to
take root. The smaller they are the bet
| ter, it being no matter whether the bud is
ripe or not, as it will ripen while it is lying
in the ground. Old vines should never be
used for raising plants. By following this
rule l have been able to produce an entire
! ly different grape with thinner skin, small
er seed, richer juice and more grape sugar.
The grape will hang on the vine until it is
entirely ripe. L have followed this plan
for the last four years. [ took the sprouts
from vine which planted in 1866. and
planted them in 1866, and from that vine
raised layers for 1867, and SO on to the
present time. BY this means T produce a
much better grape. 1t loses its wild nature,
and the branches are compact like bunch
/ ohlo To fhie
two thousand to three thousand of these
| kinds of plants.
| l hope this system will be ad opted by
our people generally, at least those who
expect to go into the culture of the grape
for profit. By this means We will be en-
abled to make fine, strong and healthy
wine. without spirit or sugar, which will
| become the common b average of the coun-
ty, finding its way alike into the cellars of
the rich and into the cabins of the poor,
taking theIplace of the poisoned and in
toxicating drinks now too freely and des-
troying health and bringing with it poverty
| and crime.
We can raise with less labor and expense
two thousand gallons of wine to the acre
than we can one bale of cotton, and with
much more certainty. At twenty cents O
gallon we have almost quadruple the profit
derived from cotton at twenty-five or
thirty cents per pound. It seems to me
that these facts would impress themselves
upon the attention of tho farmer and cause
him to turn his attention co this impol tant
subject. Below is the result of the chemi-
Cal examination OF the samples of wine
sent to the Department OF Agriculture.
Very truly,
LEWIS FROELICH.
WAsH1NGTo,J, D. c., June Sth, 1869
iccia,o
have the honor to communicate the following
return OF q chemical examiE alton of two wines
made from the ScuppernonS grape by Louis
Froehch. Esq:
No. 1-1fdde from Grapes gathered IN Octo-
Der, 1868.
Absolute alcohol. by weight. $50 per cent or
Proof spirit latter skes).. .11:3S
Acid. ca culated as dry tartsric. 10 Sc
Cane sugar. ..-.....-.....-... traces.
Specific gravity, 995 Extract,
1884 per cent; Ash...........0 :1O9
No 2-h"de from Grapes gathered IN Septe'N'
Der, 1858.
Absolute alcohol, by weight 4:45 per cent. or
Proof spirit, after skies. .....:. 9:75 g
Acid, calculated as dry tartaric .0:89
Sugar, total. ........-...-..... 20
Extract NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 221 g
Ash. .OI9
Specific gravity. ................ 500
No. is thus seen to present somewhat
higher per centage Of alcohol than No. z q
greater acid1ty, less amount OF sugar, and a
smaller extractive. No. is sweeter, and conse-
quently richer III extractive matters, while its
acid is neither perceptiblo to the taste or to
reagents.
These wines may be rea arded as corresponding
in some particulars to the light acid wines of
Continental Europe. Their proportion of alco-
hol is greater than i'll most OF the Rhine wines,
but in other respects pronounce them ex-
cellent wines OF their class.
l remain, sir,
Very respectfully,
THOMAS ANTIsELL ri. D.,
Chemist.
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