CYD 



CYD 



in a few moments so strongly at the bot- 

 tom of the vessel, that, on taking the fish 

 by the tail, the whole vessel was lifted, 

 together with its contents, and the fish 

 appeared to shew no disposition to quit 

 its hold. These fishes are eaten com- 

 monly in Greenland, where their oily 

 quality renders them particularly pleas- 

 ing. In England they are thought taste- 

 less and flabby. In Scotland, near Caith- 

 ness, suckers are found in immense shoals. 

 They are pursued on that coast with the 

 most destructive havork by the seals, 

 which there also abound. During the 

 season in which these ravages are com- 

 mitted, the spot tinder which they take 

 place is distinguishable by the smooth 

 and oily surface of the water for a consi- 

 derable extent. The skins of the suckers, 

 which are rejected by the seals, are also 

 found in vast abundance on the shores. 

 For a variety of this species, called C. 

 pavonius, or the Pavonian sucker, see 

 Pisces, Plate. HI. fig. 3. 



CYDER, a well known liquor, serving 

 in many parts of England as a common 

 beverage, though not considered to be so 

 wholesome as well-made beer, especially 

 to persons troubled with gravel, or 

 chronic complaints of any kind. Cyder 

 is made from apples, which should be 

 mellow ripe, and gathered when perfect- 

 ly dry. It was formerly held as a gene- 

 ral opinion, that " the worse the fruit the 

 better for cyder ;" but such an absurd 

 opinion was in time, though slowly, re- 

 futed. The best pippins make the best 

 flavoured and the wholesomest liquor ; 

 and such as are duly ripe will produce a 

 proportionate, increase, both of the quan- 

 tity and of the flavour. Some persons 

 are so curious in this particular, that they 

 select their apples individually, and keep 

 the juice barrelled for several years, 

 whence it acquires considerable strength ' 

 and richness, equal, if not superior, to 

 many of the inferior classes of foreign 

 wines. When boiled, and kept in this 

 way, it is called cyder wine. 



It is to be lamented that very large 

 quantities of crude cyder are made in some 

 districts from unripe apples, especially 

 from windfalls. This liquor is peculiarly 

 unwholesome, and rarely fails, if drank 

 to excess, to induce Molent colics, and 

 spasms of long duration. The evil is in- 

 creased by the incautious practice of 

 drawing the expressed liquor into copper 

 or leaden vessels, from which it receives 

 a metallic solution, that proves inmost 

 instances fatal. Even those who make 

 cyder with the utmost care and cleanli- 

 ness from unripe apples should be par- 



ticularly attentive to its due fermenta- 

 tion, without which, though it may not 

 immediately turn sour, it will neither he 

 palatable nor wholesome. Such should 

 be aided while fermenting- by the addi- 

 tion of a very large toast, .nade of good 

 wheaten bread, well leavened ; and if 

 that should fail, the cyder should not he 

 used, without the addition of about a 

 quart of good spirits to two or three gal- 

 lons of the liquor. This will prevent the 

 acetous fermentation from taking place, 

 and reduce the bad qualities of llus crude 

 beverage. 



Exclusive of the state of the fruit when 

 gathered, much depends on the care with 

 which it is taken down, and conveyed to 

 the sweating room : sr.ch apples as are 

 bruised should be rejected, or at least be 

 made separately ; for they will give a taint 

 to the liquor; and if numerous, will al- 

 so occasion the fermentation to be un- 

 equal : a matttr of great importance ! 

 Apples should be gathered by hand, and 

 slipped into a basket by meims of such a 

 ladder and cloth funnel as represented in 

 the Agricultural Magazine for Septem- 

 ber or October, 1807, whereby they are 

 Siived from injury. 



The proper degree of ripeness is easi- 

 ly ascertained by those who are in the 

 habit of gathering ; such persons k. ow 

 by the touch, and by the mellow appear- 

 ance of proper fruits, when they are fit 

 for the press : the shaking of the kernels 

 is extremely uncertain, as is also the co- 

 lour of the kernels. When a hard sort of 

 apple bites crisp, and flakes without 

 toughness, it is in proper condition. The 

 softer fleshed apples may be tried by 

 pressing'the thumb on that side which 

 has not been exposed to the sun. If the 

 flesh pits easily, and soon assumes a 

 bruised appearance, the juices are suffi- 

 ciently prepared for expression. By try- 

 ing the sun side of the apple much de- 

 ception is often experienced. 



Those who are very curious in their 

 cyder pick off all their stalks, and wipe 

 each with a dry cloth ; but this cannot be 

 done upon a large scale. However, all 

 filth should be avoided as much as possi- 

 ble. The fruit when first pulled should 

 be laid to air on a floor, and in a day or 

 two should be piled. If the weather 

 proves frosty, a blanket should be laid at 

 night over each heap, that the whole 

 may be kept in a very gentle sweat. This 

 dissipates much of the aqueous fluid, and 

 disposes the apples to break freely in. 

 the mill, without which there would be 

 double labour and far less produce. 

 When they appear clammy, or begin to 



