412 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



A HOME-MADE CIDER PRESS. 



jN the farm where there is no cider mill, 

 a large number of good apples are 

 wasted every year. These might be 

 converted into cider. The accompanying 

 illustration is 



1^ 



xrtw 



Fig. 1919. 

 the cider press in position. 



of an easily made press for the purpose of 

 utilizing those apples. Simply procure a 

 plank about 4 foot in length, and as broad 

 as available, and a stout pole, d, 15 to 20 ft. 

 long. Make a frame or vat, to hold the 

 apples to be pressed. It can be constructed 

 of I in boards, about i ft. square. Set this 

 vat on the plank, a, and have a channel cut 

 round it in the form of the letter Y. Place 

 the plank and vat at the base of a tree or 



stump, using a few blocks to raise it from 

 the ground one or two feet. Now cut a deep 

 notch in the tree or stump about i ^ or 2 ft. 

 above the plank and insert the heavy end of 

 the pole. At the other end of the pole set 

 four pins as shown. 



The apples to be squeezed with the press 

 are thrown into the vat a few at a time, and 

 a heavy wooden stamper is used to crush 

 them. When the vat is full of the broken- 

 up apples, a wooden cover, fitting inside of 

 the vat, is laid on top. A few blocks are 

 placed on top of this cover so as to allow 

 the pole to press down on the movable 

 covering. The pole is weighted down with 

 heavy stones or boulders placed between the 

 four pins at the end remote from the press. 

 Cut several small V-shaped openings round 

 the bottom of the vat, or make a system of 

 channels, connecting with the large channel 

 to collect the juice and permit it to follow 

 the course along the plank until it reaches 

 the vessel used to receive it. 



The illustration shows the press when 

 completed and also explains the manner of 

 using it. I can confidently assure any 

 farmer readers that this press, which will 

 cost practically nothing, will give entire 

 satisfaction . — A merican Agricultural. 



CIDER MAKING HINTS. 



'HE present season with its promising 

 apple crop will undoubtedly see a 

 ^^.^ great deal of cider and vinegar made. 

 The prevailing idea that cider can be made 

 from any kind of apples, may result in a 

 great deal of poor cider and consequently 

 poor vinegar. Especially is this true in 

 sections where premature dropping is more 



common than usual. An attempt will un- 

 doubtedly be made to utilize this partially 

 matured fruit by making it into cider. This 

 may be the best means of disposing of it, 

 but good cider cannot be expected from such 

 fruit. It will be thin and watery and 

 vinegar made from it will contain a small 

 percentage of acetic acid. As most states 



