THE GENESEE FAEMEK. 



601 



CIDER AKB CIDERrMASmG. 



TnE apple crop in this section, the present sea- 

 son, is more abundant than it has been for several 

 years. In other sections, however, the crop was 

 destroyed by the great June frost, and good apples 

 command good prices, not only for home consump- 

 tion, but for shipping to the Atlantic cities and to 

 the Western States and Canada. It is, of course, 

 'far more profitable to sell cooking and eating apples 

 than to convert tliem into cider. But notwith- 

 standing the general introduction of good varieties 

 of the apple, there are still thousands of orchards 

 the fruit (jf which is too sour to be advantageously 

 fed to hogs or cattle, and too poor to eat or cook, 

 jiut which makes good cider, and is profitably used 

 for that purpose. Indeed, it is thought that this 

 natural fruit makes better cider than ordinary 

 gi'afted varieties. 



The usual process of making cider in this vicinity 

 is, briefly as follows : The apples are allowed to 

 get as ripe as possible; they are then picked up 

 and taken to the cider-mill, where they are allowed 

 to lie in a heap for a few days, to "sweat." This 

 accelerates the ripening processes. They are then 

 rasped or gi ound into pulp. The pulp is often im- 

 mediately pressed ; but if the weather is cool, and 

 the apples not quite ripe, it is better to let the pulp 

 remain in the vessel for a few days. This gives the 

 cider a higher color, and is believed also to change 

 some of the stiirchy or woody matter of the fruit 

 into sugar. 



The next operation is to press out the juice. 

 This is a simple process, but requires some skill. 

 Four boards, about six inches wide, are nailed to- 

 gether in a square, the size it is desired to make 

 the " cheese." This is placed on the bottom of the 

 press, and a little straw is put inside, with the ends 

 extending about a foot all around. The pulp is 

 then scooped upon the press, inside this rim, form- 

 ing a layer about six inches thick. The straw is 

 then turned over it, and a little pulp put on it to 

 keep it down. The rim is then lifted, and four 

 sticks are placed on the layer of pulp, for the rim 

 to rest on. Some more straw is then placed all 

 around, and another layer of pulp added as before. 

 This process is repeated till the "cheese" is as large 

 as desired — say 75 bushels of apples. Sufficient 

 straw must be used to prevent the pulp from being 

 pressed out at the sides ; but with good straw (rye 

 straw is best) and proper care, a small quantity 

 only is needed. Sometimes the straw is wet with 

 water ; but this weakens the cider. 



A considerable quantity of cider will flow from 

 ike " cheese" before it is pressed at all. After it is 



settled somewhat, a very slight pressure is applied, 

 which is gradually increased. If pressed too much 

 at first, there is danger of the pulp bursting out at 

 the sides. After pressing it as nmch as possible, 

 and the cider has ceased to flow, the pressure is 

 taken ofl^, and the corners of the "cheese" are cut 

 oflT with a hay-knife and the pomace laid on the 

 top of the "cheese," when the pressure is again 

 applied, and the cider will again flow freely. As 

 soon as it ceases, remove tlie i)ressure and cut off 

 four or five inches of ])omace from the sides of the 

 " cheese," place it on top, and apply the pressure 

 again until the "cheese" is quite dry. Some, instead 

 of cutting off the corners first, cut all round at once. 

 The cider is usually put in barrels at once, and 

 sold while sweet. Eight to ten bushels of apples will 

 generally make a barrel of cider. The price paid 

 for the use of the mill aud press is 12^ cents per 

 barrel, when the farmer finds his own team and 

 hands ; or 25 cents when the mill-owner does the 

 grinding and pressing himself. 



This is the old-fashioned method of cider-makiag. 

 We have now portable mills, which can be worked 

 by hand, with a pressing apparatus attached. We 

 annex a cut of one manufactured by W. 0. Hickok, 

 of Harrisburgh, Pa. It can be worked by hand or 

 horse-power, and is capable of making from six to 

 twelve barrels of cider a day. It costs but little. 

 and every farmer can have one of his own, and can 

 make the cider, little or much, when convenient, 

 and not have to draw the apples some distance to 

 mill, and then "take his turn," and finally do up 

 the work in a hurry. 



Some writers recommend filtering the cider 

 through sand and charcoal, to remove impurities ; 

 but if care has been taken to exclude all rottea 

 i fruit, it is, in our opinion, unnecessary. 



