The Cultivation of The Native Grape, and Manufacture of American WinesHusmann, George
Science
The Cultivation of The Native Grape, and Manufacture of American Wines
Husmann, George
Viticulture -- United States; Wine and wine making -- United States
used as a shop, contain a stove, and be floored, so that it will be
convenient, in wet and cold weather, to cut cuttings, &c. A large
cistern, to be built on one side of the building, so that the necessary
water for cleaning casks, &c., will be handy; with a force-pump, will
complete the arrangement. I need hardly add here, that the whole cellar
should be paved with flags or brick, and well drained, so that it will
be perfectly dry.
This cellar is destined to hold two rows of casks, five feet long, on
each side. For this purpose layers of strong beams are provided, upon
which the casks are laid in such a manner that they are about two feet
from the ground, fronting to the middle, and at least a foot or
eighteen inches of space allowed between them and the wall, so that a
man can conveniently pass and examine them. This will leave five and
a-half to six feet of space between the two rows, to draw off the wine,
move casks, _&c_.
This cellar will, at the present rates of work, cost about $6,000. Of
course, the cellar, as before remarked, can be built according to the
wants of the grape-grower. For merely keeping wine during the first
winter, a common house cellar will do; but during the hot days of
summer wine will not keep well in it.
APPARATUS FOR WINE-MAKING.--THE GRAPE MILL AND PRESS.
This mill can be made very simple, of two wooden rollers, fastened in a
square frame, running against each other, and turned with a crank and
cog-wheel. The rollers should be about nine inches in diameter, and set
far enough apart to mash the berries, but not the seeds and stems. A
very convenient apparatus, mill and press, is manufactured by Geiss &
Brosius, Belleville, Ill., and where the quantity to be made does not
exceed 2,000 gallons, it will answer every purpose. The mill has stone
rollers, which can be set by screws to the proper distance, with a
cutting apparatus on top, for apples in making cider, which can be
taken off at will. The press is by itself, and consists of an iron
screw, coming up through the platform, with a zinc tube around it to
prevent the must from coming in contact with it. The platform has a
double bottom, the lower one with grooves; the upper consists simply of
boards, with grooves through it to allow the must to run through. These
boards are held in their places by wooden pegs, and can be taken off at
will. A circular hopper, about a foot in diameter, and made of laths
screwed to iron rings, with about a quarter of an inch space between
them, encloses the zinc tube. The outer frame is constructed in the
same way, is about 2-1/2 feet in diameter, and bound with strong wooden
and iron hoops. The mashed grapes are poured into the frame, a
close-fitting cover is put on, which is held down by a strong block,
and the power is applied by an iron nut just on the top of the screw,
with holes in each end to apply strong wooden levers. The apparatus is
strong, simple, and convenient, and presses remarkably fast and clean,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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