252 Rev. J. Venables on Cyder Making. [Oct. 



but also the humble inquirer after knowledge propose his diffi- 

 culties for solution by abler heads, I will without further preface 

 request the assistance of some of your chemical correspondents 

 to throw some light upon a few of the difficulties to be met with 

 in an art of some consequence to the countiy, and at the present 

 moment of peculiar interest — 1 mean the art of making cyder. 



In order to make cyder in perfection, I conceive that three 

 things are requisite ; first, that the juices should be extracted 

 from the apples in their perfect state of ripeness ; secondly, that 

 those juices should be free from impure mixture ; and thirdly, that 

 the fermentation should be so managed that the liquor may be 

 injured neither by the carbonic acid gas evolved at that period, 

 nor by the subsequent absorption of the atmospheric air. A 

 little consideration of the most common defects under each of 

 these heads may lead, perhaps, to a more correct process in the 

 manufacture of a liquor that is capable of being brought to a 

 great degree of perfection. 



1. Apples in their unripe state contain a superabundance of 

 the malic acid, and are almost destitute of sugar. As they 

 approach to maturity, nature converts the greater part of this 

 acid into sugar. Now if we examine the apples as they are 

 generally brought to the cyder press, we shall find that they are 

 rarely quite ripe. Sometimes they are not suffered to remain 

 long enough upon the trees, sometimes the want of warm and 

 genial suns in this cloudy atmosphere leaves them in an imma- 

 ture state. Supposing, therefore, the apple in its ripe and 

 perfect state to contain the ingredients of cyder in their just and 

 right proportion, it is evident that the liquor from the press, as 

 we generally find it, must contain a superabundance of the malic 

 acid and a deficiency of sugar, and our operations must be 

 directed so as to remedy these faults. To increase the quantity 

 of sugar, the most natural and obvious method is to suffer the 

 fruit to remain upon the trees until it will drop with the slightest 

 concussion. When gathered, it should be placed in heaps to 

 sweat, as it is commonly called ; that is, to mellow by a gentle 

 fermentation ; and when the fruit has been ground in the mill, 

 the pulp, we are told by an able physiologist, should be spread 

 and exposed to the action of the atmosphere for 24 hours, or 

 longer, before it is pressed. In this state it is said to imbibe 

 from the air those principles which are necessary for the further 

 conversion of the malic acid into sugar. 



Still as an attention to these particulars will rarely make up 

 that proportion of sugar which is to be found in rich and well- 

 ripened apples, I do not hesitate to recommend the deficiency 

 to be supplied from other sources. When the fermentation first 

 begins, 40 lbs. of coarse West India sugar may be added to each 

 hogshead of cyder. 



I have already supposed the natural proportion of the malic 

 acid in rich and well-ripened fruit to be correct ; but in the 



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