CHAPTER XVI. 



ON THE NATURE AND MANAGEMENT OF 

 CRAB CIDER. 



The apple called the Hewes's Virginia crab, dif- 

 fers so much from all others, that the liquor extracted 

 from it requires a system of management adapted to 

 the peculiar qualities of the fruit. On the nicety of 

 this management, much of its excellence depends ; for 

 manufactured as other fine ciders usually are, it will 

 not possess that delicacy of flavour, or that singular 

 brightness and lightness of colour, which are consid- 

 ered as peculiarly characteristick of this liquor. 



In dry seasons, and on light or uncultivated soils, 

 the apples are apt to fall too early ; they are not how- 

 ever very liable to rot; in more favourable soils, and 

 in good seasons, they hang from the first to the last of 

 October : about the middle of the month we begin to 

 gather them from the small size of the fruit, this is 



