From the above-related process we are taught, that nature, in forming wines, is not confined to a certain fixed number of degrees, but admits, for this act, of a considerable latitude, according to the extent of which the wines vary in taste and properties; and that she affects an equality of heat in each period of vegetation; from whence the brewer is taught, if he form his malt-liquors with four mashes, as in the autumn and spring the vine is impressed with heats nearly uniform, so ought his two first mashes to be; the third, in imitation of the high heat of summer, should be much hotter, and the heat of his last mash the same with this; and this general rule has been found universally true, for beers expected to preserve themselves sound a sufficient time; and admits but of a proportional variation, when fewer or more mashes are employed, as the degrees of heat denominating the constituent parts of the grain, must be applied in proportion to the quantity of water used to each mash; but in malt liquors speedily to be drank, or when we deviate greatly from the more perfect productions of nature, we are then compelled to swerve from her rules; a practice never profitable, and which nothing but necessity can justify. The nature of the soil proper for the vine, might, in another work, be a very useful enquiry. It will be sufficient here, barely to hint at the effect, which lixivial soils produce in musts. The Portugueze, when they discovered the Island of Madeira in 1420, set fire to the forests, with which it was totally covered. It continued to burn for the space of seven years, after which the land was found extremely fruitful, and yielding such wines, as, at present, we have from thence, though in greater plenty. It is very difficult to fine these wines, and, though the climate of this island is more temperate than that of the Canaries, the wines are obliged to be carried to the Indies and the warmer parts of the globe, to be purged, shook, and attenuated, before they can arrive to an equal degree of fineness with other wines; were the Portugueze acquainted with what may be termed the artificial method of exciting periodical fermentation, much or the whole of this trouble might be avoided. Hence we see, that soils impregnated with alkaline salts will produce musts able to support themselves longer, and to resist acidity more, than other soils, under the same degree of heat. Grapes have the same constituent parts as other vegetables. The difference between them, as to their tastes and properties, consists in the parts being mixed in different proportions. This arises, either from their absorbent vessels more readily attracting some juices than others, or from their preparing them otherwise, under different heats and in different soils.