The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1876-11-11
influence of the Stock on Wine.

wine making there must be good grapes,
in the following words:
The nature of the vine stock certainly
plays the chief and most important part
in the production of wines. 1t it unde-
niably to the quality of the fruit that all
$he best wines in the world owe their
Superiority. If you were to take away
Carbenet from Medoc, Pinot from Bur
gundy, Pedro IMMENSE from Xeres, and
replace them by Black Portugal, Gre
nache, Mataro, Gouasis or Sweetwater,
You would only get quite second-rate
and common wine. In nearly all the
great vitical centers two totally different
classes of wine are produced-fin and
superior wines, and common wines.
These two fine species of wine are never
produced by the same kind of grape.
Starting with this principle, we may ar
range the different varieties of vines in
two categories-fine and common stocks
1t is easy to take note of the difference
between the fruits produced by the diff
ferent vines, Tor their composition is
very varying. The elementary princi-
pies are the same, but their proportions
differ; lastly, even in colored grapes,
ties. These considerations lead us to
recognize that the mixture and choice
of stocks are very ef1icacious in anchor
ating the quality of vines in vineyard
This means is certainly the most natural
and rational. but it is also one which
demands the greatest Judgment on the
part of the viniculturist. If a vineyard
produces vines whose color is poor or
whose constitution is too weak, the color
can he increased by introducing vine
whose grapes are very rich in coloring
matter, and more body will be given
with vine which gives at the same time
more sugar and tannin.
BY combining vines which produce too
sweet wine with others which contain
less sugary matter will get dry wines
This varying proportion of sugar in the
different wines must be seriously taken
into calculation in the plantation of
vineyards. Not only does the admix-
ture of vines allow the vine grower to
get wines which possess certain known
qualities, but by this means we can pre-
vent the diseases to which the vines may
be exposed, for often this spontaneous
deterioration is due to the predomin-
ance or insufficiency of certain elements,
and the re-establishment of the cquili-
bfium will be sufficient to make these
Inconvenience vanish. The vines whose
fruit contain much tannin are in these
cases exceedingly useful.
The aim of the producer of fine wines
should tend towards the obtaining of the
maximum of produce both in quantity
and quality. He will often, by inter
mingling the stocks with judgment, be
able to increase the produce without in
iuring the quality. This is the system
practiced in the neighborhood of Bor-
deaux. The vines which produce wines
of superior quality are as rule not
very productive. and the result is that
if we do not require very high quality
we can increase tho quantity by inter-
mixing the best vines with others whose
produce is greater, according to the
more or less high quality you wish to
obtain. One consideration which must
not be neglected in the employment of
stocks is that the time at which they
reach ripeness is not in all cases the
same. In planting them this important
difference must be taken into account,
and in small vineyards only vines whose
grapes ripen at the samo time should
he cultivated; in large vineyards, on the
contrary. it will always be useful to
plant with each other varieties, which
do not ripcn at the same time. SO as to
get space of time long enough to make
the vintage under good conditions.
The DEBT TO MoTHERs.- Mothers
live for their children. make self-sacri-
fees for them, and manifest their ten
derness and love so freely, that the
name mother is the sweetest in human
language. And yet sons, youthful and
aged, know but little of the anxiety. the
nights of sleepiess and painful solicit
tude which their mothers have spent
over their thoughtless waywardness.
Those loving hearts go down to their
graves with those hours of secret agony
untold. AS the mother watches by
might, or prays in the privacy of her
closet, she weighs well the words she
will address to her son, in order to lead
him to manhood of honor and useful
ness. She will not tell him all the
griefs and deadly fears which beset her
soul. She warns him with trembling
lest she say overmuch. She tries to
charm him with CHEEKY love, while her
very heart is bleeding.
No worthy and successful man ever
yet knew the breadth and depth of OBJ
legation which he is under to the mother
who guided his steps at the time when
his character for virtue and purity was
SO narrowly balanced against course
of vice and ignominy.
Let the dutiful son do his utmost to