HERB DRINKS AND HOME-MADE WINES 183 



first fume the Vessel with Brimstone ; don't stop it up till 

 the hissing is over. Ibid. 



BIRCH WINE. The season for procuring the liquors from 

 the Birch trees is in the beginning of March, while the sap 

 is rising, and before the leaves shoot out ; for when the sap 

 is come forward and the leaves appear, the juice, by being 

 long digested in the bark, grows thick and coloured, which 

 before is thin and clear. 



The method of procuring the juice is by boring holes in 

 the body of the tree, and putting in fossets, which are 

 commonly made of the branches of elder, the pith being 

 taken out. You may, without hurting the tree, if large, tap 

 it in several places, four or five at a time ; and by that means 

 save from a good many trees several gallons every day. 

 If you have not enough in one day, the bottles, in which it 

 drops, must be cork'd close, and rosined or waxed ; however, 

 make use of it as soon as you can. Take the sap and boil 

 it as long as any scum rises, skimming it all the time, to every 

 gallon of liquor put four pounds of good sugar, and the thin 

 peel of a lemon ; boil it afterwards half an hour, skimming 

 it very well ; pour it into a clean tub, and when it is almost 

 cold, set it to work with yeast spread upon a toast. Let it 

 stand five or six days, stirring it often, then take such a 

 cask as will hold the liquor; fire a large match dipped in 

 brimstone and throw it into the cask, stop it close till the 

 match is extinguished ; tun your wine, and lay the bung on 

 light till you find it has done working; stop it close and 

 keep it three months, then bottle it off. Ibid. 



QUINCE WINE. Gather the quinces when dry and full 

 ripe. Take twenty large quinces, wipe them clean with a 

 coarse cloth, and grate them with a large grater or rasp, as 

 near the core as you can, but none of the core ; boil a gallon 

 of spring water throwing your quinces in, and let it boil 

 softly a quarter of an hour, then strain them well into an 

 earthen pan on two pounds of double-refined sugar; pare 

 the peel of two large lemons, throw in and squeeze the juice 

 through a sieve, and stir it about till it is very cool; then 



