In France and Germany several methods are in use for increasing the yield of wine or improving its quality. These are especially resorted to in unfavorable seasons, when the want of sufficient sun prevents the formation of enough sugar in the grape and the proportion of acid is high.

Chaptalization consists in neutralizing the excess of acidity in the must by the addition of marble dust, and increasing the saccharine content by the addition of a certain quantity of cane sugar, which the vintners sometimes replace by starch sugar. In this process the quantity of the wine is not increased, but it becomes richer in alcohol, poorer in acid, and the bouquet is not injured. It is much used in Burgundy.

Gallization, which was invented by a German, Dr. Ludwig Gall, has for its object the production of a standard must, which shall contain a definite proportion of acid and sugar. This is brought about by the analysis of the must and the addition to it of water and sugar, the quantity to be added being ascertained by reference to tables.

Petiotlzation

This process, which takes its name from Petiot, a proprietor in Burgundy, is carried out as follows: The marc from which the juice has been separated as usual by pressure is mixed with a solution of sugar and water, and the mixture again fermented - the second steeping containing, like the first, notable quantities of bitartrate of potash, tannic acid, etc., which are far from being exhausted by one extraction. The process may be repeated several times, the different infusions being mixed. This process is very largely used in France, and is said to produce wines rich in alcohol, of as good bouquet as the original wine, and of good keeping qualities. It is not allowed to be sold there, however, as natural wine.

To what extent these methods obtain in this country I am unable to state. It is probable, however, that they are but little used, as the principal fault found with American wines is their deficiency in bouquet, not in their content of sugar. The detection of wines made in any of the above-mentioned ways is rather a difficult matter chemically, and requires a knowledge of the composition of the pure product only obtained from large numbers of analyses, extending over many years; which data, although existing in abundance in European countries, are, as yet, lacking here, owing to the comparatively recent development of the industry and the small amount of work done on the subject.