INDIANA IIORTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 427 



sprayed with a solution of copper sulphate in the following proportions: 

 Copper sulphate one pound, water twenty-five gallons. This treatment 

 should be given before the buds open. This is an important treatment, as 

 it destroys the spores of the mummied plums. It has also been shown that 

 the disease can be prevented by spraying with Bordeaux mixture in the 

 following proportions: Copper sulphate six pounds, strong fresh line four 

 pounds, water twenty-two gallons. It will be necessary to make at least 

 four applications, three with Bordeaux mixture and one with copper sul- 

 phate.— Prof. L. H. Pammel, Iowa. 



MAKING CIDER AND VINEGAR. 



The gale of September 12, that swept through New England after 

 creating such terrible havoc and loss of life a few days before in Texas, 

 has stripped a great deal of fruit from the trees in such immature, half- 

 grown condition that it will not be fit for market or even tor home use, as 

 the fruit probably will not ripen properly or even keep long. It makes 

 many of the farmers regret that the old cider mills which used to be found 

 not far from every large orchard have been taken away or allowed to go 

 to ruin, for many a cask of cider might be made from the fruit on the 

 ground, even in small orchards. 



We will not discuss the question of the use of cider as a beverage, 

 whether it is as bad as stronger drinks, whether it helps to create an appe- 

 tite for such, or whether it can become a more wholesome and reasonably 

 safe substitute for them for those who crave some stimulant. The argu- 

 ments upon these questions have been many times repeated without 

 changing the minds of many either way. We propose to look upon cider 

 merely as a preliminary process in the making of a pure fruit vinegar, 

 which nearly every one wants as a condiment with certain articles of food. 



We know that a considerable part of the vinegar sold and used in this 

 country is not a fruit vinegar, but is manufactured from slops of various 

 kinds, strengthened often with acids which are injurious to health or 

 would be if the vinegar were used in more than small quantities and 

 frequently. The hurtful effects of pickles may more often be ascribed to 

 the acid in which they are put up than to the article that has been 

 pickled. Such vinegars will undoubtedly be condemned and prohibited 

 when the pure food law is enacted and enforced, and there will be a better 

 demand for fruit vinegar, and for pure apple cider from which to make it. 



To make good cider we need good, sound fruit, and if the cider was to 

 be used as a beverage it would be better that the fruit should have ripened 

 as much as is possible without having begun to decay. For vinegar 

 this is not so important, although we doubt it very immature fruit makes 

 vinegar as good as more mature fruit. It may contain as much acid, 

 however, and we do not know that it is any less wholesome. We do know 

 that early made cider usually will pass through the second or active fer- 



