OF CRAB CIDER. 7f 



a troublesome and expensive operation, which must 

 be performed only in dry weather, or when the dew is 

 off the ground : they are laid dry on the floor of the ci- 

 der house, or other building, not more than one foot 

 thick, to permit them to ripen and evaporate the watery 

 particles ; exposed as much as possible to a current 

 of air, but secured from rain : after lying two weeks, 

 they are picked over carefully, throwing aside every 

 rotten or specked apple if the green are separated 

 from the ripe fruit, the trouble will be amply repaid 

 by the increased flavour of the cider they are then 

 ground as closely as possible, for such is the tough- 

 ness of the flesh, that no degree of grinding will de- 

 stroy its fibrous and spongy nature. The pomace 

 must not be suffered to lie in the vats ; for cider so 

 treated, will acquire a high colour, and an increased 

 disposition to ferment, and will be ako more difficult 

 to fine : it is to be placed immediately on the press, in 

 a frame or crib, constructed in the following manner: 

 Three pieces of tough white- oak on each side, are 

 connected together by tenons and mortices, so as to 

 form a hollow square of five by four feet in the clear : 

 on these cross pieces, are nailed white-oak slats, three 

 feet long, one inch and a half wide, and half an inch 

 thick, which stand upright when the crib is fixed on 

 the press ; the mortices are riveted, with iron bands, 

 and the tenons secured by iron pins three quarters of 



an inch thick, to resist the pressure of the beam : In 



10 



