AGRICULTURAL MECHANICS AND RURAL ECONOMY. 69 



with the utmost care and attention, as every thing connected with the future quality, rich- 

 ness, and value of the wine depends upon it ; the finer muss, that remains in the liquor after 

 it has passed through the straining apparatus, drops to the bottom in the course of a few 

 days, and the wine becomes perfectly clear and transparent, retaining all its original saccha- 

 rine matter, with all its strength, richness, and flavor. At this critical period, upon which 

 we consider the quality of our wines depend, we adopt the process of racking. This rack- 

 ing must be effected in such a manner as to prevent any part of the liquor coming into con- 

 tact with the atmospheric air ; should it do so, fresh fermentation, in all probability, will 

 take place ; and by the same means, the like causes repeated will operate, and be followed 

 by the same results — repeated fermentation — until the flavor and richness of the original 

 liquor are destroyed, and the liquor, instead of becoming wine, would become as worthless 

 as your inferior cider. The reason for this Rhenish caution in preventing the liquor from 

 coming into contact with the atmospheric air during the process of racking, is this : The first 

 fermentation is what is termed vinous fermentation, and results in the liquor subjected to it 

 becoming wine ; if repeated, or acetous fermentations are allowed to follow, the vinous and 

 saccharine properties of the liquor are converted into acid, and the wine becomes vinegar. 

 Now, the atmosphere is the laboratory from which the liquor absorbs the chemical agent 

 which produces these distinct and separate fermentations. And now, practically to apply 

 these observations : one fermentation is all that is wanted to convert the juice of the apple 

 into wholesome cider. The plan to insure this is as follows : — First, grind the apples in the 

 cider-mill, and squeeze the juice from the pulp, as is done at present. Second, run or pour 

 the liquor, after being squeezed or strained, into a vat, capable of containing three or four, 

 or even more, hogsheads. This vat must be placed in an elevated position, at least five or 

 six feet above the floor, to admit the hogshead or cask in which the liquor is to be ulti- 

 mately secured, to be placed under it. At the bottom of the large vat a tube is inserted, of 

 from one and a half to two inches in diameter, for the purpose of discharging into a recep- 

 tacle beneath it. While the process of fermentation is going on, the top of this tube should 

 be corked or plugged up. When the liquor in the vat has settled or clarified, it is drawn off 

 into the receptacle below, retaining all its original saccharine qualities. The operation is 

 now completed, and the result will be found to be a liquor wholesome and palatable, full of 

 spirit, richness, and flavor, and of value proportioned to the description or sort of apples 

 which are cultivated. Our firm conviction is, that the difference in value of all the cider 

 produced by these simple means, over and above that produced by our present careless and 

 slovenly method, would amount to tens of thousands of dollars a year, and would be so much 

 clear gain and profit to all those who make cider. 



The production of good cider depends upon the description of fruit of which it is made, 

 the season, and state of the apples when they are crushed, and the management of the juice 

 while it is fermenting. It will therefore be proper to consider the subject under these three 

 heads separately : 



1. The kind of apple which makes the best cider. The acid which gives the peculiar 

 quick and sharp feeling upon the palate, in good cider, having first been noticed in the apple, 

 although it exists in many other fruits, has been termed the malic acid. It may not be amiss 

 to say, that it is the due combination of this acid with saccharine matter — namely, the sugar 

 of the apple, properly fermented — which is the object to be aimed at in the manufacture of 

 cider. In the selection of the fruit will depend the proportion of malic acid contained in 

 the liquor. The crab has a much greater quantity of this acid than the cultivated fruit ; 

 and, generally speaking, in proportion as we obtain sweetness by culture, we deprive the 

 apple of its malic acid. Hence it follows, that some delicious table fruits will not make good 

 cider^ this rule, however, is not invariable, as the golden pippin and some other fine apples 

 appear to contain the proper admixture of acid and sweetness which is desirable in the 

 liquor. Mr. Knight recommends that the different sorts of fruit be kept separate, and con- 

 siders that only those apples which are yellow, or mixed with red, make good cider ; and 

 that the fruit of which the flesh or rind is green, is very inferior. He recommends that the 

 apples should be perfectly ripe — even mellow, but never decayed — before they are crushed. 

 Mr. Booker is of opinion that the quality of cider has deteriorated since increased attention 



