Comfort Me with Apples 



203 



crowded out beer and metheglin ; and was the drink 

 of old and young on all occasions. 



At first, cider was made by pounding the Apples 

 by hand in wooden mortars; then simple mills were 

 formed of a hollowed log and a spring board. 

 Rude hand presses, such as are shown on pages 198 

 and 200, were known in 1660, and lingered to our 



Old Horse-lever Cider Mill. 



own day. Kalm, the Swedish naturalist, saw ancient 

 horse presses (like the one depicted on this page) in 

 use in the Hudson River Valley in 1749. In 

 autumn the whole country-side was scented with 

 the sour, fruity smell from these cider mills ; and 

 the gift of a draught of sweet cider to any passer-by 

 was as ample and free as of water from the brook- 

 side. The cider when barrelled and stored for 

 winter was equally free to all comers, as well it 



