CIDER FROM APPLES AXD PEARS. 339 



commencement of the operation. It is impossible to extract all as 

 that would require the use of a press. 



Unfortunately this process of diffusion is very slow on account 

 of the necessarily small size of the tubs, and their capacity can 

 scarcely be increased as in that case two men would have consid- 

 erable difficulty in raising them from one step to the other. 



In order to accelerate this method and apply it to the produc- 

 tion of large quantities of cider large tubs would be required, and 

 instead of disposing them on steps they would have to be placed 

 on the floor of the room and the passage of the liquids from one 

 tub to the other be effected by a system of pumps. The number 

 of tubs might then be increased to five or six ; and by the appli- 

 cation of heat a more complete exhaustion of the apples could be 

 reached. 



Recent successful experiments in expressing the juice of the 

 grape by means of the centrifugal would indicate that the same 

 method might also be applied to apples. 



The juice of the apples obtained by either of the preceding 

 methods is now tested with the must areometer as to its saccharine 

 content. If it is too low it will be useless to try to make cider 

 of it unless that quality is strengthened. Generally good juice 

 will range from 10 to 14 per cent. If it is any less than 10 per 

 cent, it will not make a cider which will keep, though, if the 

 flavor in other respects is all right, a very light cider for immedi- 

 ate use may be produced from it. 



The juice having been tested and, if found wanting in saccharine 

 strength, corrected by the method given on p. 326, the next step in 

 the operation is fermentation. For this purpose the juice is brought 

 into clean, sound barrels or into large vats. After a few hours 

 an active fermentation will commence, which is usually permitted 

 to continue, with the bung loose, until the hissing sound, so readily 

 discernible when carbonic acid gas is escaping, shall cease. The 

 cider is then drawn off into clean barrels, separating it from the 

 sediment. The barrels are placed in a cellar or a cool room 

 having a uniform temperature, one of 57 to 64 F. being most 

 suitable. Abrupt variations in temperature should be carefully 

 avoided and provided against. The barrels must be carefully 

 watched, and as soon as white bubbles are perceived rising at the 



