The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-04-29
NOTES.

tilN ttHluINs IN "ANh '' ltNhs
than a recent auction sale of a private seller
of old wines and liquors In settlement OF the
estate of n noted connoisseur Of sixty years
ago. The sale in the earlier decades of the
century would have called together "a large
crowd Of buyers: but on this occasion only a
small group Of bidders. mainly dealers, were
in attendance. and their purchases were In
small lots ut prices that by no means repre-
sented the original outlay when cost Of storage
and interest on the investment are added.
As late IA fifty years ago the accumulation
of u private cellar of madeira and sherry wines
and fine liquors suggested prosperity and social
consequence. Amateurs In this direction did
not purchase Of importers or dealers. but in
famous vintage years bought directly from
the Portuguese, Spanish and French growers
and wine-makers, The product reached the
collector in the wood and he bottled II directly
from the cask and stored II in vaults In which
far greater attention was given TO perfect
ventilation than was accorded TO the inhab-
tied part of tho house. Many had special
bottles in which their initials were blown.
which in time assumed the importance Of a
specified brand Indicative Of convincing merit
and quality. when the contents Of a private
cellar was sold these initiated bottles conveyed
all the Information required ~ inspire the
keenest competition in buying The famous
IS. II. f." madeira derived its name from the
initials OF q former resident OF Savannah. Ga,
which were blown in the bottles that contained
II. This wine made two round vol ages 10 the
Fast Indies before 1t was considered IN proper
condition for bottllng, and then II was sealed
In vaults for a considerable period before II
was regarded as NJ for drinking This was
the fad Of a gourmet and not IA bottle Of II was
ever sold III Naa either consumed Dy tlt
owner and his friends or given away. All
of this sort of thing has gone out Of fashion;
Private residences are no longer provided
with vaults in which are stored hundreds or
thousands OF bottles OF wines and liquors In
process of ripening. A man living In the coun-
Try with a large, establishment may keep a
few dozens Of wines in excess OF immediate
needs; but a town resident with a telephone
al his elbow may In an hour have at his door
wines and liquors OF Il quality equal To those
which in the far past private collectors eh-
pended years 10 acquire.
There Is just rs much good wine in the world
to-day As there ever was. and probably a greater
variety and more Of II, and II Is az the command
OF any one, in quantity from one bottle to ten
thousand according to the capacity of his purse
or of his stomach. Within the past tifty years
there has probably occurred but one Instance
In this country where a certain quality of wine
could not be duplicated That was in the case
of some sherry that belonged TO an American
banker who was a partner OF Queen Christina
Of spain in II the wa hS nIGa. II FL T N0sA'' S Sns
made from carefully selected grapes which
had attained perfect maturity or ripeness, and
only tho Juice was used may was eNnressed
sure whatever being employed There might
be some amateurs yet living who tasted of thl3
wine The reference to the 3Wher ~ u Is nGt
him and tho quality II the particular sherry of
which, in the United states. he was the sole
posse-sor. 1t is possible that the recently pub
lished investigations u a noted French chemist,
IN regard 10 the supposed noyiOus qualities of
very old wines and liquors have aroused PREF
udice against them. This. scientist maintain;
that from n hygienic standpoint less matured
wines and liquors are far saIer TO drink that
great age develops in them characteristcs
which are friendly t . the formation Of calcareops
deposits, not caused bv the use of comparatively
more newly made liquid products OF the grape.
The recent closing of one OF the last Of the
somewhat noted chop houses OF New York
indicates that tho days Of usefulness Of this
sort OF hosiery have passed, The advantages
that they once offered in somewhat crude and
vulgar surroundings are now ootalnable at
restaurants of equal quality. and In a more
refined and attractive atmospheric. Then AGAIN
the yer, large use OF gas, an ideal fuel FOR brOil-
ing makes IL possible for the average citizen.
who was the most persistent patron OF these chop
houses, To obtain under his own roof bro!led
steaks and chops, in Tar greater, perfection
than when they were cooked over the ordinary
household coal fire. As Tor the ale for which
50 much was asserted when served az these
chop houses. that was a play OF the lmagina-
tion. for there was not enough Of II consumed,
drawn from the wood with sufficient rapldlty
to offer II alW avs in tho best condition., The
same causes that have brought about the eA-
tuCiion OF chop houses IN New lOrk are pro
dlring the same effect with London taverns.
They have fingered somewhat longer more on
account of the reputation Of some OF them for
the superior uIallty of the wines andIiqHors that
they serve. than for the greater Incidence or
their cookery. More attention - given 10 this
TO-DAY than In former times. DR.. johnson, IN
sueHklng OF his early experiences IN lOnfon,
refers to taverus which We're irequenied solely
on account Of the merit Of their loud refresh
ments. Food was so much a matter OF sec
ondary consideration that IN some OF them. II
,upper was desired, IL was supplied 10y IedlarS
OF mutton pies who made the round every night
10 dispose of their wares. Very few OF the old
London taverns remain. Many there are which
bear the names OF the original structures, hut
they are now reformed in aspects and methods
beyond recognition. The theshire Cheese Of
Fleet street yet remains and Is conducted Ia
the same manner a. when II originated IN N"
eighteenth century. The same beetsteak pies
that ID johnson praised are served to-day IN
the same ancient form and in tie same sur
roumdlngs. 4 writer in an English technical
Journal who has been investigating the subject
OF I ondOn taverna gives a somewhat different
reason for their drclin" than that which has
hbbAA Ahf y = WIZ AA'A' 'h VII ~ " ~ ~
chop house A. mas been said tie strength
o, the I ondon taverus lay in the superior quail
inv OF their wines and liquors, The writer re-
farred to saws that this Is no longer appreciated
in London. that there cheapness Is valued above
every thing else, Therefore, the majority seek
wine that j. low-priced and restaurants that
Give a dinner Of n dozen courses for half a croWn,
a. tl,, tavern can no longer maintain iS dis
rtnctiva character and compete proftnhlv with
what il demanded by modern conditions II
has practically passed out oil existence Very
fcy will regret either the old tavern or the
chnp honse which Tpeked with the Odor Of broilcd
meat or boiled cabbage or onions, aud had dirty
floor, and shabby Wilt"rs
There are some people vino believe that
raising chickens for market on q large scale can
be made n profitable industry. The question
isinvolved in 50 much doubt that. asTHESuS has
already said. an agricultural journal hns recently
offered a money prize TO any one who can con-
tluSively show that this IL possible. NO one VIII
dispute that White Pekin ducks and turkey
can be raised with profit on a large scale, the
first because they are marketable six week after
being Matched. and the second because II they
have q sufficiently extensive range they find
their own subsistence from spring until late
autumn and rear their young without superyis-
ion or expense to the owner, All or these
can be disposed OF at q clear profit. as the feath-
ers pay the cost OF picking. Chickens are
different. They must be kept within Enclosures
the chicks mature slowly and the percentage
Of loss from various causes Ia larger. The
only profit IL In the eggs, provided they can be
sold BY the grower at not less than 20 cents n
dozen. The only country In the world whore
chicken raising for market is indisputably
profitable In Russia. From there in 1898 s37,-
900 900 of live poultry and ST. 100000 worth Of
eggs were exported 10 various Continental