KHENISH WINES.

71

tables d'hote, should resort to the uncrrmg test we liavebefore laid down, when they will assuredly be appalled atthe amonnt of grape-pickle they are swallowing under thename of " a nice light German wine;" for thus analysed, even

Such a vineyard will continue bearing for 20 years, on an average, before theplants require renewing.

The wages of the labourers vary from 9d. to lg. per diem without food, andare 6öf. a-day with food ; women and girls get a groschen or two less. Tn theautumn, the "carriers" are paid about 9d. a-day, and the "gleaners" 5d.,with board and lodging.

The common press for the wine costs from 111. to 12/.

Five Beschaffen (porters' loads of about 20 gallons each) of good, ripe, andjuicy grapes, and seven Beschaffen of poorer ones, will yield an Ohm (30 galls.)

of wine.

Gallons Eng.

196

265 1338f446ä

162

The average yearly yield of one morgen of vineland (on the Lower

Mosel, Winnigen district) in the course of fifteen years, wasThe yield increased in the good years, viz. i—

In 1846, to ..............

1839, to ..............

1834, to ..............

In the bad years, however, the yield decreased, so that the vintagesof 1829, 1830, 1837, yielded scarcely anything.In the Ahr the average annual yield for forty-eight years was

not quiteIn the poor upperlands of the same district the average yieldper Morgen for white wine wasAnd for red wine

The mean price of the wine in the Lower Mosel, taking an average

for 40 years (1816-1855) was per 18 galls.Hence the average money-yield for a Morgen of vineland wasAnd deducting from this the average annual expense of cultivating the

same extent of vineland (see above)

Leaves as profit to the cultivator of each Morgen a surplus of

TheTrester, or " husks," that remain after the pressing, amount to about onequarter of the entire quantity of the grapes, and these are sold to make brandy,■ and generali)' produce sufficient to pay the cost of using the presses.

But there is still to be added to the annual expenses the cost of the " musttax" (Most-steuer), as well as the rent of the Morgen of land, and interest onthe capital invested.

The vine culture, therefore, can be profitable only to the vintner who keeps a

351

234

£ s.

d.

0 13

J ä

7 3

4i

6 10

3

0 13 li