350 VINEGAR, CIDER, AND FRUIT-WINES. 



this malady from its first appearance, add to every 228 quarts 1 

 pint of alcohol or 2 grammes of catechu dissolved in 3 quarts 

 of water. Cider may also be prevented from turning viscous by 

 the addition of sugar to the juice when it comes from the press, 

 which promotes fermentation. 



The cause of cider turning black is an excess of oxide of iron 

 which, on coming in contact with air, becomes a peroxide and 

 gives the beverage a brown color. The oxide of iron has been 

 introduced into the cider either by the water used in its fabrica- 

 tion, or by fruit grown on ferruginous soil. By mixing such 

 cider with 12 drachms of powdered oak-bark per 22 gallons, a 

 quantity of tannin is introduced which combines with the iron 

 salt to an insoluble product that settles on the bottom of the 

 barrel. Tartaric acid may also be used. 



Turbidity or lack of clarification of cider is caused by too small 

 a quantity of sugar in the juice, or by imperfect fermentation. 



In rainy seasons the apples ripen imperfectly and contain but 

 little sugar. Cider prepared from such fruit generally remains 

 turbid. During seasons in which abrupt changes of temperature 

 take place, and also when cold weather sets in very early, fer- 

 mentation does not progress well, and clarification is imperfect. 

 When the cider remains turbid after the first racking off, add a 

 solution of 2 pounds of sugar in 1 gallon of water to every 132 

 gallons of the liquid ; this sugar becomes converted into alcohol 

 and renders the cider limpid. The use of lead salt, formerly much 

 employed in Normandy, is very dangerous; persons drinking the 

 cider thus adulterated feel sharp pains in the abdominal region, 

 which present all the symptoms of lead colic, and may prove fatal. 



An admixture of lead salt is readily recognized. Add to the 

 cider a solution of potassium iodide, if lead salt be present a yel- 

 low precipitate of iodide of lead will be formed. 



Adulteration of cider. Cider is but little subject to adultera- 

 tion according to most of the authorities on food. Even Hassall, 

 who generally enumerates under each article of food a list of 

 every conceivable adulteration that has ever been found or sup- 

 posed to have been used in such food, only speaks of the addition 

 of water, of burnt sugar as a coloring matter, and of the use of 

 antacids for the correction of the acidity of spoiled cider. On the 



