344 VINEGAR, CIDER, AND FRUIT-WINES. 



the bottle in cold water for one minute. Thus treated the sweet 

 cider will keep seven or eight months. 



In his treatise on Cider, Dr. Denis-Dumont gives the following 

 directions for bottling cider. The cider is to be bottled at three 

 distinct periods. It should never be bottled before the tumul- 

 tuous stage of fermentation is entirely completed and the liquid 

 clarified. 



First period. At the termination of the tumultuous fermenta- 

 tion the cider still contains considerable sugar; fermentation con- 

 tinues in the bottle and produces in a few weeks a large quantity 

 of carbonic acid. In order to prevent the bottles from being 

 broken by the pressure, champagne bottles should be selected 

 and care taken to have them stand upright until about the 

 month of July, i. <?., until the development is considerably re- 

 duced. The bottles are then laid on their side, as otherwise the 

 cider would cease to be sparkling. This cider has to be kept for 

 a number of years, it being good to drink only when old. 



Second period, when fermentation is more advanced, about six 

 weeks or two months after the first period. Mineral water 

 bottles are strong enough to hold this cider, it liberating less car- 

 bonic acid than the preceding. The bottles are left in an upright 

 position for a few weeks only. 



This cider has a good flavor and is fit to drink much sooner 

 than the preceding. It keeps for a long time. 



Third period, when fermentation is complete or almost so, any 

 quality of bottles may be used, a great deal less of carbonic acid 

 being developed than in the preceding cases. The bottles should 

 be laid down immediately after filling, in order to retain the car- 

 bonic acid which will still be developed. 



This cider is not sparkling ; it is, however, lively, strong, and 

 lias a fine flavor. 



The bottles should in every instance be well corked and the 

 corks,^for the sake of safety, tied. The cider is very good when 

 kept in small bottles, better in quart bottles, and best in jars 

 holding two quarts. A few moments before opening a bottle of 

 sparkling cider it is advisable to provide a minute opening for 

 the escape of the gas by piercing the cork with a fine punch. As 

 soon as the tension of the gas has become sufficiently weak the 



