In the work on wines during the present investigation, 70 samples, purchased in the market of Washington, were examined. Inasmuch as the analyses made in 1880 included so many samples, and represented very fairly the composition of the wine sold here, it was thought inadvisable to make a complete analysis of all the samples, especially as many of them were identical in origin with those examined by Mr. Parsons. Accordingly only about one-half the samples (36) were submitted to a very careful and complete analysis, the rest being examined for adulteration only, especially preservatives. Only those samples were chosen for complete analysis which did not correspond to any of the samples analyzed in 1880. The samples are all wines of American origin, of which by far the greater bulk of the wines consumed here consists. Most of the samples are Californian, a few coming from Virginia and other States. Several of the samples had foreign labels, in imitation of some imported wine of the same general class, but in each case the dealer admitted that the wines were American.

The time and scope allowed to the work did not admit of the extension of the investigation to imported wines.

Analyses of wines made by United States Department of Agriculture in 1887.

Designation.

Made in-

Vintage.

Serial number.

Number of analysis.

Specific gravity.

Alcohol by weight.

Alcohol by volume.

Extract.

Total acids as tartaric.

Fixed acids as tartaric.

Volatile acids as acetic.

Bitartrate of potash.

Reducing sugars as dextrose.

Glycerine.

Ash.

Polarization in degrees, cane-sugar scale.

Red wines.

Per ct.

Per et.

Per. ct,

Per ct.

Per ct.

Per ct.

P.ct.

Per ct.

P.ct.

P.ct.

American Burguncy..........................

.....

4964

1

.9903

11.93

14.74

1.73

.390

.272

.097

.115

.390

.....

.176

± 0

Charbono............................

California...

1885

4968

2

.9946

9.12

11.35

2.28

.498

.166

.267

.....

.302

.....

.324

- 1.9

Lenoire.............................

... do ......

1885

4969

3

. 9951

10 43

12.96

2.25

. 426

.277

.120

.....

.354

.....

.308

- 1.5

Burgundy...........................

....do.........

1884

4995

4

.9945

10.23

12.68

2.00

.870

.724

.121

.062

.093

.730

.255

- 1.0

Claret................................

....do........

1885

4996

5

.9943

10.61

13.15

2.26

.668

.535

.109

.076

.256

.588

.291

- 1.6

Zinfandel....................................

....do.......

1883

5005

6

.9945

9.87

12.22

2.09

.795

.668

.104

.057

.153

.893

.201

+ 1.

Burgundy........................................

....

.....

5084

7

.9951

8.29

10.30

1.39

.383

.113

.216

.057

None.

.552

.236

+ 0.2

St. Julien Claret...............................

California...

1885

5088

8

.9983

10.38

12.87

2.83

.728

.404

.211

.062

.508

.466

.289

± 0.

Claret................................................

Virginia....

.....

5094

9

.9943

9.04

11,20

1.52

.480

.315

132

.057

.124

.517

.224

± 0.

Zinfandel..........................................

California....

.....

5095

10

. 9950

8.76

10.87

2.18

.765

.414

.281

.048

.250

.303

.342

- I.

Claret.....................................

Virginia....

.....

5096

11

.9958

8.92

11.08

1.71

.525

.297

.183

.095

Trace.

.382

.396

- 0.2

Do............................................

....do.......

.....

5099

12

.9949

8.43

10.47

1.43

.555

.279

.221

.086

.051

.421

.307

± 0.

Do...............................................

New Jersey...

.....

5100

13

.9947

9.94

12.31

1.96

.735

.450

.228

.029

.145

.308

.229

± 0.

Do......................................

Virginia...

.....

5101

14

.9969

. 7.78

9.68

1.82

.705

.600

.084

.133

None.

.492

.252

± 0

Do......................................

California...

....

5103

15

.9923

10.45

12.95

1.71

.668

.443

.180

.029

None.

.370

.453

- 0.5

Do...............................................

....do.......

.....

5104

16

.9937

10.01

12.40

1.82

.585

.393

.154

.048

None.

.348

.360

- 0.7

Average..............................

....

.....

.9946

9.66

11.95

1.94

.611

.397

.169

.068

.164

.490

*

.290

White wines.

Moselle.........................................

California...

1884

4997

1

.9911

10.91

13.52

1.44

.735

.593

.118

.094

.073

.394

.247

- 2.2

Riesling, gray.....................................

....do.......

1884

4998

2

.9917

9.37

11.61

1.16

.750

.595

.128

.150

.081

.436

.202

- 2.4

Riesling, white Johannisburg.................

....do.......

1885

4999

3

.9919

10.91

13.52

1.75

.563

.451

.092

.039

.325

.797

.203

- 2.0

Sauterne....................................

....do.......

1885

5000

4

.9882

13.35

16. 52

1.74

.488

.385

.082

.062

.394

.835

.181

- 3.2

Dry Catawba............................................

.....

.....

5081

5

.9913

10.11

12. 49

1.16

.683

.448

.156

.198

.147

.370

.240

- 1.8

California Riesling.................................

.....

.....

5083

6

.9914

9.95

12.31

1.16

.690

.471

.175

.189

.139

.427

.260

- 0.8

Riesling............................................

.....

.....

5089

7

.9927

9.01

11.17

1.22

.668

.548

.096

. 142

.109

.585

.203

- 0.5

Do......................................

California

.....

5097

8

.9920

9.64

11.96

1.18

.713

.530

.146

. 255

.980

.540

.226

+ 0

Berger........................................................

...do.......

.....

5098

9

.9903

10.74

13.32

1.34

.698

.464

.187

.236

None.

.365

.222

- 0.4

Average...............................................

.......

.......

......

.9912

10.44

12.94

1.35

.065

.498

.131

.152

.250

.328

.220

Analysis of wines made by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1867 - Continued.

Designation.

Made in -

Vintage.

Serial number.

Number of analysis.

Specific gravity.

Alcohol by weight.

Alcohol by volume.

Extract.

Total acids as tartaric.

Fixed acids as tartaric.

Volatile acids as acetic.

Bitartrate of potash.

Reducing sugars as dextrose.

Glycerine.

Ash..

Polarization in degrees, cane-sugar scale.

Sweet urines.

Per ct.

Per ct.

Per ct.

Per ct.

Per ct.

Per ct.

P. ct.

Per ct.

P. ct.

P. ct.

Sherry.....................................................

California...

1883

5001

1

.9929

16.16

19.87

3.82

.638

.445

.157

.039

1.850

.606

,312

-12.

Do......................................

.....do .......

.......

5090

2

.9939

15.99

19.68

3.38

.510

.390

.096

.114

2.890

.278

.215

- 6.6

Port..........................................

...do.......

.......

5091

3

1. 0432

15 39

18.93

15.38

.683

.431

.202

.076

8.928

.190

.602

-29.2

Sweet Burgundy.......................................

.....do.......

1884

5002

4

1.0161

15.53

19.08

9.30

.615

.490

.092

.057

6.150

.657

.415

-30.2

Sweet Catawba............................................

..........

1886

5087

5

1.0145

14.50

17.87

8.39

.518

.410

.087

.086

6.650

.113

.118

- 8.8

Do......................................

..........

.......

5102

6

1. 0357

10.98

13.60

13.20

. 46".

.303

.130

.048

..........

.417

.384

..........

Tokay..................................................

California...

1884

5004

7

1. 0167

14.58

17.92

9.53

.518

.364

.118

.039

6.110

.206

.262

-20.2

Sweet Muscatel....................................

....do.........

1884

5003

8

1.0511

12.99

16. 05.

17.20

.375

.325

.025

.048

15. 050

.192

.256

-30.6

Muscatel...........................................

....do...........

.......

5092

9

1. 0380

15.45

19.00

13.64

.563

. 383

.144

. 087

11.111

.102

.360

-23.4

Angelica..............................................

....do...........

1884

4994

10

1.0492

12.54

15.49

16.27

.375

.330

.030

.132

14. 200

.140

.686

-30.0

Do......................................

...do .......

.........

5093

11

1. 0433

15.37

18.90

13.24

.360

.285

.060

.039

11.873

.052

.249

-29.9

Average...................................................

.....

.........

........

.......

1. 0261

14.50

17.85

11.21

.511

.378

.104

.067

8.48

.260

.351

....

Maximum, minimum, and mean composition of the samples examined.

Constituents.

Sixteen samples red wines.

Nine samples white wines.

Eleven samples sweet wines.

Maximum.

Minimum.

Mean.

Maximum.

Minimum.

Mean.

Maximum.

Minimum.

Mean.

Specific gravity....................

.9983

.9903

.9946

.9919

.9882

.9912

1.0511

.9929

1. 0261

Alcohol by weight.......per cent..

11.93

7.78

9.66

13.35

9.01

10.44

16. 16

10.98

14.50

Alcohol by volume do

14.74

9.08

11.95

16. 52

11.17

12.94

19. 87

13.60

17.85

Extract......................do

2.83

1.39

1.94

1.75

1.16

1.35

17.20

3.38

11.21

Total acids as tartaric.......do___

.870

.383

.611

.750

.488

.665

.683

.360

.511

Fixed acids as tartaric.......do___

.724

.113

.397

.595

.385

.498

.490

.285

.378

Volatile acids as acetic......do___

.281

.084

.169

.187

.082

.131

.202

.025

.104

Bitartrate of potash.........do___

.133

.029

.008

.255

.039

.152

.132

.039

.067

Reducing sugars as dextrose. do

.508

none.

.164

.980

none.

.250

15.05

1.85

8.48

Glycerine do

.893

.303

.490

.835

.365

. 528

.657

.052

.260

Ash do

.453

.176

.290

.260

.181

.220

.686

.118

.351

A comparison of the composition of American wines with those of other countries, as shown in these analyses, and a discussion of the points of difference or agreement would be a most interesting and instructive task. It would require considerable space, however, for a proper presentation of the subject, and must be omitted in the present investigation, as not being of so direct importance to the question of the adulteration of wines.