168 CULTURE AND MANAGEMENT 



firm, they can put the liquor immediately into the 

 barrels, without any other caution than leaving 

 space to work off the lees ; but this is hazardous, 

 and successful only in favourable seasons. A mo- 

 derate degree of warmth is absolutely necessary to 

 produce the proper fermentation of cider. If, 

 therefore, your cellar or apartment be too cold, it 

 must be moderately warmed. As soon as the fer- 

 mentation is over, (and great care must be taken 

 to prevent its being too great, for in this last case 

 it will become acid,) it must be drawn off, and then 

 it may be put where it is to be preserved. New 

 casks are bad. Frequent scaldings with hot wa- 

 ter, in which a little salt has been dissolved, or 

 with hot water, in which pumice has been boiled, 

 and afterwards washing the cask with cider, will 

 check this evil. 



" There are some who advise the fumigating 

 casks with brimstone, and affirm that the acidity 

 of the cask is corrected, the musty taste destroyed, 

 and that the cider will keep the better for it. It 

 must, in that case, be put in as soon as the fumi- 

 gation is finished. The best shaped vessels for 

 keeping cider, are those in which the cask or ves- 

 sel is wider at top than at bottom. 



" A question of great importance is now to be 

 considered. Some maintain that frequent racking 

 spoils the cider; and others assert that it can never 

 be good without it. Some rack once and twice, and 

 others whenever the liquor frets or ferments. We 

 shall therefore state the various methods, and give 

 a general opinion on the subject. 



"One mode is to leave the cider in the open vats 

 at the press some days longer than was above ad- 

 vised (which was two) and till it is in some degree 

 finer ; then to put it into casks, where it is to re- 

 main without any further racking. Those who de- 

 fend this practice, say their cider is stronger and 

 better for it. 



