CIDER. 147 



the richest fruit we have : the house apple stands sec- 

 ond : they both yield very sweet must, and conse- 

 quently, specifically heavier than that of any other 

 apple. The Newton pippin yields its must free from 

 the finer pomace, and, although not so rich, from that 

 circumstance, ferments more moderately, and is soon- 

 est fine in the cask. The Spitszenburgh and pearmain 

 1 do not rank among the cider apples, because they 

 seldom afford a must that will bear fermentation,except 

 the season be uncommonly, dry, or the trees very old. 

 The largest and finest fruit grows on young trees, and 

 in moist seasons, and these yield the greatest quantity 

 of cider. Old trees and dry seasons afford a smaller 

 fruit, highly flavoured, and less juicy. The vandevere 

 is little better than good water cider. 3f it be fer- 

 mented, it very soon becomes acid, and if not ferment- 

 ed, becomes ropy. The red streak, the cockagee, and 

 the ro3 7 al wilding, so famous in England and Ireland,, 

 are not known here, but the Virginia crab well enough 

 supplies the place of them all. This apple deserves 

 every possible attention, and its must is less disposed, 

 from its great acidity, to rise too high in ferrnentioii 

 than that of any apple known here. Were there no 

 other advantages, this simple one would render it ex- 

 ceedingly valuable to. the common farmer, who will 

 be hardly brought to pay attention to the nice opera- 

 tion of fermenting the sweeter fruits ; but it has al- 

 most every other good property of a cider apple. The 

 trees bear abundantly, the fruit ripens late, and is free 

 from rot of any kind ; the fruit is small and hard, and 

 therefore bears the fall from the tree without bruising. 

 It grinds small, and the pulp is remarkably tough, yet 

 parts with its juice readily ; hence the must runs from 

 the press very fine. It would be going beyond my 

 present object, to say much more of this apple ; yet I 

 cannot forbear observing, that being acid, it will bear 

 to stand in the pomace longer than any sweeter apple. 



