30 



bon dioxid gas, the first being that which gives the strength to the 

 beverage, the second that which renders it sparkling and piquant if 

 retained in the liquor. The glycerin helps to give body and flavor 

 to the liquor. It is derived partly from the alcohol and doubtless in 

 part from the organic acids present in the must. 



Tannin, or tannic acid, in the fruit. This is the substance so readily 

 recognized in unripe persimmons or in the bark tissues of oak trees. 

 In fruits it tends to give a bitter taste and to pucker the mucous mem- 

 branes of mouth and throat. It is undoubtedly the relatively large 

 amount of this constituent which gives to the bitter-sweet apples of 

 France their peculiar character. This element is of great importance 

 in the composition of any fruit for wine and cider making purposes, 

 because of its action in coagulating albuminous elements in the must, 

 thereby assisting to clarify the liquor, its wholesomeness to the system, 

 and its effect in conserving a certain portion of the sugar from too 

 rapid fermentation, thus adding very materially to the soundness and 

 keeping qualities of the beverage. The writer is inclined to agree with 

 the French that this element is more important than the acid. Three 

 to five parts per 1,000 of tannin (0.3 to 0.5 per cent) is a sufficient 

 quantity. American fruits fall far below this standard. 



Acids in the fruit. These exist in the apple and pear chiefly as 

 malic acid, but possibly also as tartaric to a small extent. Their 

 importance in a cider fruit is very considerable. If acid is not present 

 in sufficient quantity, the oxidation of the tannin will be so rapid as to 

 turn the must black, or blackening may even occur in the finished cider. 

 Also the refreshing quality of a cider as a summer beverage is largely 

 due to its acid content. American apples usually contain sufficient 

 acid. 



Mucilage in fruit. The practice of determining this substance as 

 mucilage in apple must seems only to be followed by the French chem- 

 ists. Whether their determinations are comparable with the deter- 

 minations of pectin by other chemists can not be here stated. These 

 substances, give body to the cider and are important constituents of 

 good cider fruits. 



COMPARISON OF CIDER APPLES. 



FRENCH STANDARDS. 



It is a matter of unquestionable importance to compare the fruits of 

 the three prominent European cider-producing countries with one 

 another and with our home fruits as to chemical composition. The 

 French students of the subject have attempted to set standards by 

 which varieties should be selected. The following is quoted from M. 

 Hauchecorne ("Le Cidre" p. 9), in which he gives what he has deter- 

 mined to be an average composition based upon analyses of 

 French varieties: 



