Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-06-24
vIrIcuL7uRAL CONVENTION.

UIlCuLIUkAL CUHvENlIuN.
Third oay-Addresses by Arpad Ha-
raszthy. Dr.. o. H. Cougar. Gov. J.
q. Downey. O. A wetmore and
l. J-Rose
The third and last day Of the meeting
Of the State viticultural Association
took place yesterday. After some time
spent in examining great variety OF
wines displayed for inspection, at one
o'clock P. NJ, large audience was gath.
cred, including a number Of ladies, who
take a great interest in viticultural
pursuits.
There were present Commissioners
Haraszthy, Wetmore, Krug, Kohler,
Rose, Shorb, West. De Turk, and Secre-
tary J. II. Wheeler.
Chairman Rose introduced
MR.. AnPAp HARAszrHY.
who spoke as follows on the subject OF
mature wine.
He said the history Of the cultivation
OF the vine and of the manufacture Of
wine from the grape merges itself into
the misty past of prehistoric times.
Sacred history. in the Book of Genesis,
ascribes to Noah the first cultivation of
the vine, who cultivated the plant and
made wine and became intoxicated. But
Champollion in his Egyptian Letters"
states that there was discovered at
Zaouit FL -Maitein, village on the
banks of the Nile, the tomb of Apophis,
on which among other bas reliefs was
wine press. Apophis, who belonged to
the Sixth Dynasty OF Egypt, lived 1852
years before Christ and 1900 years before
Noah. The making of wine appears to
have come from Central Asia, and has
spread round the world. The Israelites
always used wine in their feasts, the
Greeks were experts in making it, and
the Romans learned it from the Greeks,
and from them it spread with their arms
into Spain, France, Hungary, Germany,
and even into England. Nearly oil the
Roman emperois favored wine-growing.
To the city of Paris, in after years, ia
due the credit of inducing the people to
drink wine inste I'd of other drinks.
During the French revolution of 1889
the vine was neglected, but whom peace
was restored the cultivation was again
carried forward triumphantly. A clever
writer which he quotes lays down these
propositions:
1ot That ,y.oo o.;yao n aarf,;,, IN ~;
cular stamp to the intelligence and spirit
of the people who employ 1t as usual
beverage.
I'd. That the pinnacle Of civilization,
among no matter what peoples, seems to
have been reached at the time that it
used wine daily.
81. That the physiological advantages
of the use of wine are numerous, though
often complex and vague. That hygien-
ically wine is entirely natural nutri-
ment. when it is neither sour, bitter nor
sweet, nor pastey, nor too strong in
natural alcohol, nor rich in ethers that
act upon the nervous system.
4th. That such wine has stimulating
qualities. which, il judiciously used,
therapeutically, will raise the weakened
energies Of the convalescent, and may
even go far to cure the sick.
9th. That, on the other hand, il its
use is abused. that it can produce nerv-
GUS infamatory arrangements Of grave
nature, whose final end is often fatal TO
the most hardened wine drinker.
Wine differs greatly from spirit or
alcohol, the former being the direct
result of fermentation, and the latter
the Edistillation of that result Wine
may be made from the juice of al plants,
the sap Of trees, the infusions and de-
coctions Of farinaceous vegetables, the
milk of animals, and from all ripe fruits.
But Of all substances susceptible Of fer
mentation, none Ia capable of being
turned into 80 good wine as the juice Of
the grape. The extreme variety in the
species Of wine is caused by the great
variety Of vines. difference Of climate,
soil, preparation, etc.
A great deal depends upon the aspect
or location of the vineyard. aud the
peculiararities of the soil. But what
ever be the cause, it is well recognized
fact that there are vines produced in
certain favored spots. like Tokay, the
best Medocs, Bnrgundies and Rhine
wines, that no art or care has succeeded
in producing elsewhere. Wines differ
much from one another in the respective
proportions Of their constituents, alco-
hol, ether, acids, and essential oils; and
it is sorry fact that our chemical
methods Of analysis are not yet perfect
enough to specify in themselves what
constitutes either q fine or coarse and
poor wine. The difference may be
caused BY the management in fermenta-
ton, cultivation of soil, time of the year
when the grapes are gathered, condition
of the grapes before crushing, and favor
sometimes added to change the character
Of the product. 1t happens too often
that rash judgments are rendered as to
the superior quality Of wines Of certain
districts. Vineyards are made from
certain varieties of grapes that are sell
dom verified. 1t is usually conceded
that it is much easier to Judge of the
white wines than the red, even
from the time of the vintage. In the
red, the present task requires perfect
equilibrium of different opposite prop
sEties. which mutually counteract each
other; such as body, fine color and
perfect maturity, together with an agree
able favor, smoothness and q fine per-
fume. But with respect to the white,
all that is required Of them is, that they
should possess body. transparency and
strength.
With the exception of o few OF the
Muscat species, the freshly pressed juice
Of the various European grapes present
but slight differences before fermentation;
these differences are usually limited to
more or less sweetness, more or less
tartness and more or less astringency.
To make this grape juice into wine, IL
has to undergo fermentation, which is
called the alcoholic, or, more properly,
the vinous fermentation. This fermenta-
ton Is that change which transforms the
sacharine matter contained in the juice
of the grape into alcohol, carbolic acid
gas, glycerine, succinic acid and other
substances. In crushing the grape q
careful examination will show the pres
ence Of almost imperceptible fioculent
particles, which particles are no less
than the elementary Jerment or vegeto-
animal being. usually called the yeast
plant. This. vegeto- animal being is Of
the simplest form, composed Of single
thin cellule. Of ovoide shape, containing
a yellowish liquid. This ovoid cellule,
If placed in congenial surrounding,
such as watery solution of sugar
slightly albuminous, few hours there
after sprouts out into other cellules Of
the same shape, which in their turn
likewise sprout out and TINS continue
generating other cellules, until all the
sacharine matter has disappeared from
the solution
In the manufacture Of wine, II il be