F A R M E li S ' REGISTER. 



623 



old cider of a very superior quality ; niiil as the 

 lial.'iiual use of cider is cminenlly cunduc ve to 

 heulil), insures sobriety, imparts the agreeable 

 eensalion ol' strength and vigor, and as it is a 

 pleasant beverage that can be allbrded at a small 

 expense, I took care to be exactly informed ot 

 his manner of making, refining, and preserving it, 

 in the hope that advantage might accrue in the 

 publication of it. Mr. Nail had in his cellar, as 

 well as f now remember, about 8 or 10 hogsheads, 

 and filly or sixty barrel?, of cider, of different 

 ages. The oldest was best ; nor did lie think any 

 fit to drink until it was at least a year o!d. 'I'hat 

 which I drank was three years old, and it was 

 excellent. His oldest cider I did not taste, as he 

 intends it as a treat for his executors. He com- 

 plained that his stock was too small to drink it 

 of the age he wished, but intended to fill another 

 cellar. I here copy Mr. Nail's receipt, as he gave 

 it to me in writing in April last : — 



" All apples fit to be eaien will make good ci- 

 der. The grand secret is the cleansing it from 

 the filih and dregs as early as possible. Each 

 sort of apples are to be beaten and pressed by 

 themselves. Two kinds of juice, both good, 

 would, if mixed, often make bad cider. Throw 

 out all imperfect, sorry, and sunburnt apples, as 

 well as dust and trash. Beat your apples belbre 

 much mellowed, as they lose their strength, 

 soundnebs, and spirit, if too mellow. Let them 

 stand half a day alter being beaten, before put 

 into the press, then press them slowly. Discon- 

 tinue it as soon as the juice appears thin and wa- 

 tery. The advantage of slow pressure is in mak- 

 ing the liquor run pure. Let your casks, previ- 

 ously well cleansed, be filled quite full, to permit 

 the froth and pumace to discliarge iisclf at the 

 bung, when the fermentation abates, cover the 

 bung closely with something that may be lilted 

 by the fixed air that escapes during the future 

 fermentation. In a week, rack oti'ihe cider care- 

 fully, ceasing the moment you observe it to run 

 muddy. Now stop the cask more firmly. In 

 ten days, lack it off a second time, and in fifteen 

 days, a third time. In every instance, the casks 

 are to be clean and perlectly well filled ; and 

 when filled lor the last time, to be bunged close 

 in a deep, dry cellar, never lo be moved until 

 drawn for use. Late cider need not be racked 

 until March, and then one racking, or at most 

 two, will be sufficient. Be very carefLil that no 

 water, not even the little that will adhere after 

 rinsing a cask, is mixed wiih the cider. The 

 smallest quantity of rain water will render cider 

 unfit to keep. The addition of any quantity of 

 distilled spirits is not only useless but injurious." 



JMr. Nalfs method is the result of lonij experi- 

 ence, and its success justifies me in reconuuend- 

 ing it to the public. 1 hope it will be tried. 



Calvin Jones. 



Raleigh, July 25, 1819. 



RKMARKS UPON THE FAILURES IN SILK-CUL- 

 TURE OF THIS SEASON, AND ON THE THEO- 

 RY OF G. B. SMITH. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. 



Oct. 17th, 1840. 

 The editorial remarks in your August number, 

 on the disastrous results attending the late roarings 



of silk-worms during the past season, have at- 

 tracted my aiieution. While the facts of the case 

 are fairly and imi)artially staled, and while it 

 must be admitted on all sides, that the cultivators 

 of the silk- worm have been lor the most part 

 grievously disappointed, in their confident expec- 

 tations of success, yet I consider it too soon to 

 think of abandoning the enterprise. Jt would be 

 counting loo largely in a new and untried business, 

 commenced under many disadvantages, and espe- 

 cially under the disadvantage of ignorance and 

 inexperience, lo suppose that entire or even gene- 

 ral success was at first attainable. There may be, 

 and no doubt is, a remedy lor the evils which 

 have belallen us. That remedy we should dili- 

 gently strive to discover, instead of fainting by 

 the way-side ; and if each cultivator would con- 

 tribute his mite of experience for the good of the 

 whole, an amount of inlbrmation might be ac- 

 quired, sufficient to enlighten our path and direct 

 our footsteps in the further prosecution of this im- 

 portant culture. 



But amid so many disappointments, have we 

 not in reality achieved a great deal ? Has it not 

 been proved that the silk-worm may be raised 

 with eminent success early in the season, fre- 

 quently as late as the first of July, and in some 

 instances as late as August, and even September'? 

 All accounts represent the early rearings of ihe 

 past season as highly satisfactory ; even good re- 

 sults were in many cases attained in disregard of 

 some of the first rules of good management. The 

 adaptation of our climate to the prosperity of the 

 silk-worm, at least until the first or middle of 

 June, has been established beyond a doubt. To 

 that extent therefore, it has been shown that our 

 advantages for the prosecution of silk culture are 

 at least equal to those of the old silk-growing 

 countries of Europe. But we have not been con- 

 tent — nor is it lo be expected that we should re- 

 main content — with the simple possession of these 

 advantages. We have looked forward to the 

 praciicability of rearing successive crops from 

 April lo October ; thus multiplying to the extent 

 of five or ten fold the advantages of other coun- 

 tries. Unless something approaching to this can 

 be accomplished, it must be conceded that the 

 introduction of silk culture into this country vvlU 

 not become general. Whether the disastrous el- 

 Iccis of the past season have been sufficient to de- 

 stroy all reliance on successive crops, and to prove 

 it to be the delusion of sanguine and enthusiastic 

 minds, is the question whicii is to be candidly 

 considered. 



Various causes may have contributed lo pro- 

 duce those efi'ects, which further experience may 

 enable us to obviate, either wholly or in part. You 

 have stated several of those causes with your ac- 

 customed impartiality. The wetness of the sea- 

 son, the reliance on eggs produced by a diseased 

 stock, the unfitness of buildings, (for there are 

 comparatively few regular cocooneries,) the suc- 

 culent, watery quality of the food, and the bad 

 management of cultivators, most of whom were 

 totally inexperienced, were sufficient causes to 

 prevent uniform success. Indeed, distinguished 

 or general success under such an adverse stale of 

 things, might rather have been regarded as won- 

 derful, than that failure should be considered dis- 

 couraging and disheartening. To the causes al- 

 ready assigned, I will add another, which I be- 



