74 THE INVISIBLE WORLD 



most sugar, and will give to the cider the best 

 flavor. When gathered, the apples are ground and 

 pressed. The juice is thus separated from the 

 pulp, and is called new cider. 



The new cider is now put into barrels. The 

 bung of each barrel is left open. At a temperature 

 of about 60 degrees the cider in forty-eight hours 

 will begin to work or ferment. This fermenting 

 process is the work of the microbe, and of the mi- 

 crobe only. Innumerable spores of the microbe 

 are on the apples, and find their way into the new 

 cider. Other spores or microbes of the same 

 species come in from the atmosphere. They all 

 subsist on the sugar of the new cider, thrive, grow, 

 multiply rapidly, and occupy every drop of the 

 liquid. As in the case of wine and beer, the mi- 

 crobes by their life processes convert the sugar into 

 alcohol and carbon dioxide. This causes the fer- 

 mentation. 



As the cider works, it will foam, and more or 

 less will run over from the bung. Keep the barrel 

 full with other new cider. For this purpose use 

 not a drop of water only cider. The fermenting 

 process will continue some weeks, perhaps months. 

 When it ceases, and the cider becomes quiet, the 

 work of the microbe is done; the sugar is all con- 

 verted. 



Now rack off the cider. Rinse thoroughly the 

 barrel. Put the cider back into the barrel. Bung 

 airtight. Thus preserved, the cider will keep a 

 long time, and grow better with age. 



