114 NEW AMERICAN ORCHARDIST. 



VINEGAR, ETC. 



Vinegar is made of the best quality from hard old cider ; 

 it must be placed under sheds in casks but two thirds full, 

 with the bung out, and exposed to a current of air. 



Sour casks are purified by pouring in a small quantity 

 of hot water, and adding unslacked lime ; bung up the 

 cask, and continue shaking it till the lime is slacked. Soda 

 and chloride of lime are good for purifying. When casks 

 are emptied to 1)6 laid by, let them be thoroughly rinsed 

 with water, and drained ; then pour into each a pint of 

 cheap alcohol, shake the cask, and bung it tight, and it will 

 remain sweet for years. Musty casks should be condemned 

 to other uses. Cider should not be bottled till perfectly 

 fine; otherwise it may burst the bottles. The bottles 

 should be strong, and filled to the bottom of the neck. After 

 standing an hour, they should be corked with velvet corks. 

 The lower end of the cork is held for an instant in hot 

 water, and it is then instantly after driven down with a 

 mallet. The bottles must be either sealed, or laid on 

 their sides, in boxes, or in the bottom of a cellar, and cov- 

 ered with layers of sand. 



The process formerly adopted for obtaining new and 

 excellent varieties of apples was, to plant only the seeds of 

 the very best fruits, and to select from these only those 

 individuals with large leaves and strong wood. Reason 

 seemed to dictate this mode; but reason united to experi- 

 erfte has taught a different. See the fourth section in the 

 fofmer part of this work. 



