AGRICULTURE. 7 



TO MAKE CIDER. 



In making cider see that the mill, the press, and all 

 the materials be sweet and clean, and the straw free 

 from must. The fruit should be ripe, but not rotten, 

 and when the apples are ground, if the juice is left in 

 pumice 24 hours, the cider will be richer, softer and 

 higher colored. If the fruit be all of one kind it is 

 generally thought that the cider will be better; as the 

 fermentation will be more regular. The juice of the 

 fruit, as it comes from the press, should be placed in 

 open headed casks or vats: in this situation, it is likely 

 to undergo a proper fermentation, and the person attend- 

 ing may, with great correctness, ascertain when the 

 first fermentation ceases; this is of great importance, 

 and must be particularly a.ttended to. The fermenta- 

 tion is attended with a hissing noise, bubbles rising to the 

 surface and there forming a soft spungy crust over the 

 liquor. When this crust begins to crack, and a white 

 froth appears in the cracks level with the surface of the 

 head, the fermentation is about stopping. At this time 

 the liquor is in the fine genuine clear state, and must be 

 drawn off immediately into clean casks; and this is the 

 time to fumigate it with sulphur. To do this, take a 

 strip of canvass or rag, about two inches broad and 

 twelve inches long, dip this into melted sulphur, and 

 when a few pails of worked cider are put into the cask, 

 set this match on fire and hold it in the cask till it is 

 consumed, then bung the cask and shake it, that the 

 liquor may incorporate with, and retain the fumes; after 

 this, fill the cask and bung it up. This cider should be 

 racked off again the latter part of February, or first of 

 March; and if not as clear as you wish it, put in izin- 

 glass, to fine, and stir it well; then put the cask in a 

 cool place where it will not be disturbed, for the finery 

 to settle. Cider, prepared in this manner, will keep 

 sweet for years. 



Mr. Deane observes "I have found it answer well to 

 do nothing to cider till March, or the beginning of April, 

 except giving a cask a small vent hole, and keeping it 

 open till the first fermentation is over; then draw it off 

 into good casks; and fine it with skim milk, eggs broke 



