CIDER AND VINEGAR A BY-PRODUCT OF THE MINN. ORCHARD. 321 



at pressing 7.25% sugars. This cider made a vinegar of 4.63% 

 acetic acid on March 4th, 1916; 5.73% acid on May 25th, 1916, 

 and 6.18% acid on September 19th, 1916. This certainly did not 

 follow the ratio of eight to four, but gives a ratio of 7*4 to 6 1-6 

 approximately. From Hibernal, testing at pressing 7.85% 

 sugars, a vinegar was secured which tested on September 19th, 

 1916, 4.67% acetic acid. One cask of Patten followed the ratio 

 of eight to four, giving from a cider, testing at pressing 8.21% 

 sugars, a vinegar of 4.12% acetic acid on March 4th, 1916. This 

 might have become stronger in acid if it had been allowed to 

 stand longer, as not all of the alcohol had been converted into 

 acetic acid. Other varieties did not come up to our expectations. 

 Charlamoff, with 9.25% sugars, made a vinegar of only 3.18% 

 acid on September 19th, 1916. Whitney, with 9.08% sugars, did 

 not at any time make more than 2.26% acetic acid. Duchess, 

 with 7.86% of sugars did not at any time make as high as two 

 per cent of acid. Longfield, always low in sugars, at no time 

 produced a desirable vinegar, not only testing low in acid content, 

 but having a decidedly repugnant flavor. 



From these trials it would appear that it will not pay to try 

 to utilize Whitney, Duchess, or Longfield in vinegar manufacture. 

 The Whitney makes a good sweet cider and should sell readily as 

 such, but the Duchess and Longfield will not appeal to anyone as 

 sweet cider from the fact that they do not live up to the name. 

 Wealthy, Hibernal and Patten should give good sweet ciders, or 

 good vinegars when properly fermented. Good vinegars can be 

 secured from a mixture of these varieties as well as by keeping 

 them separate. The Wealthy makes a sweet cider that ranks 

 with the best, and there seems to be no question in regard to the 

 vinegar making qualities of this variety. Windfalls and culls 

 should be disposed of easily in either of these ways. 



Mention should be made again of the need for careful work 

 in vinegar fermentation. Wash dirty apples, keep all machinery 

 and barrels clean, do not put more than thirty-five gallons in a 

 fifty-gallon cask, add compressed yeast at the rate of one cake to 

 five gallons of cider, and keep the cider in warm quarters, with 

 the bung covered with cheesecloth or plugged with cotton. Draw 

 off once or twice in the season to get a clear liquid without sedi- 

 ment if a filter press is too expensive. If the vinegar does not 

 "make" in due time, add some good vinegar at the rate of one 

 quart to thirty or thirty-five gallons. Such work should produce 

 a vinegar above the state standard of four per cent acetic acid. 



At University Farm this year we have over a thousand gal- 

 lons of vinegar in the process of fermentation, the intention 

 being to check and enlarge upon our previous work and to report 

 later. 



