66 



Immediately at one side and just above the level of the tanks is a res- 

 ervoir for water. This ma}^ be supplied warm or cold. 



To put this apparatus in operation, 5 of the tanks are tilled with cut 

 or pulped fruit. These are so connected that the Huid will circulate 

 from one tank to another by means of a tube connected at the bottom 

 of the first and delivering the flow near the top of the second, and so 

 on around the circle. By the time the fluid flows out from the bottom 

 of the fifth tub it is well charged with the soluble matters contained 

 in the fruit, i. e., sugars, acid, tannin, mucilage, etc. But it can 

 never be made to equal in richness the product of the first pressing 

 from the same fruit. 



As soon as the fruit in the first tank is exhausted by this washing 

 with water, the stream is turned into the second, and the sixth tank, now 

 freshl}^ filled with pulp, is put in service as the final member of the 

 battery. Then the first tank is emptied and refilled with fresh fruit 

 to take the last place in the series, when the third tank becomes the 

 first cell in the battery. Thus the operation proceeds indefinitely. 

 It should be said that the richness of the must delivered at the exit 

 from the fifth cell alwa3^s determines when a fresh tub or cell must be 

 ""cut in," as the flow through the last tub of fresh fruit strengthens 

 the must very much. The strength or richness is taken by specific 

 gravity very readily. 



The manufacture of cider by the difl'usion method is carried on in 

 France to a considerable extent, but its present importance does not 

 appear to warrant extended discussion here. It may l)e worthy of 

 study, but all the indications seem to point to its failure to produce a 

 genuine high-grade cider. 



In the factory at St. Ouen-de-Thouberville two hand presses were 

 provided as a reserve to be used in case of accident to the hydraulic 

 presses. 



The main operations prior to fermentation have now been outlined. 

 The must of the several grades has been delivered by pumps to the 

 large casks in the fermentation room (figs. 11 and 12). Through each 

 section of this part of the building runs a main brass pipe connecting 

 with the pumps. The flow is readily turned into the desired section 

 by valve cut-offs, and in each section the must is delivered to the 

 receptacles by rubber tubes which can be attached to the "main" at 

 convenient points. Each cask as filled is marked with the date and 

 such other data as are necessary to guide the operator in the details of 

 the fermentation. At the same time proper entries are made in the 

 factory journal for future reference. 



The technique of fermentation is not discussed here, as it will be 

 treated further on in this report. It should be added, however, that 

 Mr. Power was using casks usually of 600 liters capacity or larger, 

 open vats made of slate, and great tanks ))y way of experiment during 

 the first fermentation; but his preference was for the casks. 



J 



