C1DKE* 



be in clear weather. Great care should be observed 

 in making the bottles perfectly dry and clean, the 

 remnants of corks or any kind of matter incrusted on 

 the sides, will always impart a bad taste to the cider. 

 A few drops of water will destroy a bottle of cider af- 

 ter it has been well fermented, more effectually than 

 a pint before it has undergone that process. The 

 best of corks should be used, but they should not be 

 immersed in hot water, but dipped in cider, they will 

 drive the easier for this ; in driving with a wooden 

 bat, turn the nose of the bottle downward, so that the 

 cider shall come in contact with the cork, otherwise 

 there will be danger of breaking the bottles. Cider 

 should remain 24 hours in the bottles before they are 

 corked, this improves the liquor, and renders it less 

 dangerous to the bottles. A teaspoonful of brandy 

 added to each bottle, is said to have a good effect in 

 lessening the fermentation r and thereby preventing 

 the bottles bursting. About an inch of vacant space 

 should be left in the neck of the bottles below the 

 cork, when placed on its bottom, which should be al- 

 ways during the first season ; the bottles may then be 

 placed on their sides with safety. When cider of a 

 superior quality and great vinous flavour, is intended 

 to be preserved for some years, it will be useful to 

 wire down the corks with brass or copper wire. Bot- 

 tled cider should be kept in a cool cellar, if the light 

 dan be excluded, it will be a great additional protec- 

 tion against the heat of our summers. The bottles 

 should never touch, for the concussion which usually 

 attends severe strokes of thunder frequently will crack 

 them when in contact with each other. The best sit- 

 uation for them is a brick cellar floor, with clean dry 

 sand up to their necks, to exclude the air and prevent 

 their jarring, and still more effectually to prevent 

 their bursting during the heat of summer ; take a 

 quantity of moss obtained from low, cold, and wet 



