CYDER, 



look shrivelled, they are in a state for 

 milling. The mill and press are made up- 

 on different plans in various parts ; those 

 who make cyder for sale, and can shew 

 many hundred hogsheads, generally have 

 a horse walk, and grind the apples by 

 means of a trough, wherein they are 

 crushed by a large stone roller, about a 

 foot broad, and three or four feet high, 

 which revolves on an axis fast at one end 

 to a central post, and at the other having 

 a hook, to which the horse is attached. 

 The horse goes round at an easy pace, 

 so as not to hurry the apples out of the 

 trough, while the stone partakes of the 

 circular motion, and mashes the apples, 

 which are confined by the two concen- 

 tric sides of the trough. The mills are 

 usually made in a very negligent man- 

 ner, whereby the apples are very insuffi- 

 ciently and unequally ground; besides, it 

 is extremely difficult to keep the troughs 

 clean, and to prevent the apples from 

 jumping out when first acted upon by the 

 stone, unless the walls or sides are incon- 

 veniently high, or that only a thin layer 

 is bruised at a time. To remedy this, we 

 offer a new form for the trough and stone, 

 which it will be obvious remedies the 

 former evil. (See fig. 3 and 4, Plate IV. 

 Miscel.) 



In the same plate is shewn the mode 

 of keeping the apples from rising before 

 the wheel : it is simply a board, which fits 

 flat upon the top of the circular trough. 

 This board is fixed by two arms to the 

 axis on which the stone revolves, and by 

 means of hinges at their junction will rise 

 and fall, according as the stone may sink 

 more or less into the trough ; thus caus- 

 ing the board always to keep at its pro- 

 per distance in front. The board may 

 have one or two iron pins on each side, 

 pointing downwards for two or three 

 inches, for the purpose of guiding and re- 

 taining it in the proper direction on the 

 circular surface of the trough. 



The best and most commodious grind- 

 ing mill for ordinary use consists of an 

 oblong funnel, capable of containing about 

 two bushels ; this directs the apples down 

 to two cylinders, placed horizontally at 

 about half an inch or less asunder. Each 

 cylinder is furnished with many rows of 

 strong teeth ; between each two there is 

 a mortice, so that as one is set in motion 

 by a crank, or winch handle, it locks mu- 

 tually in with the other, and causes it to 

 revolve with a counter motion, thereby 

 catching in the apples, and forcing them 

 through between the rollers, into a re- 

 ceiver placed below. The cylinders may 



be about a foot long, and perhaps four or 

 five inches in diameter. Many use iron 

 teeth ; but those made of lignum vita; 

 are preferable. They should be about an 

 inch square, and project nearly as much, 

 their ends being cut to a wedge form. 

 These teeth ought to be in regular bands, 

 with intermediate mortices for the recep- 

 tion of those locking in from the other 

 cylinder ; the bands or rows to be about 

 two or three inches asunder, and the 

 teeth about two inches apart. Fig. 5, in 

 the same plate, will give some idea of this 

 machine, which will be found also in the 

 Agricultural Magazine, for February or 

 March, 1808. 



The pulp is put into cloth receivers, 

 made of horse hair; and being piled in as 

 many layers as the machine will contain, 

 is compressed by the means of large le- 

 vers turning a wooden pillar screw, the 

 same as in the paper manufactories, &c, 

 so that all the juice is forced out, and 'he 

 pulp is rendered dry and thin. The li- 

 quor thus obtained is called stum> and 

 the residuum is called murk. The latter 

 is frequently broken up, and being infus- 

 ed with boiling water, is again pressed, 

 for the purpose of giving a small liquor, 

 called cyderkin, purre, or perkin. Some 

 add hops thereto, which makes it keep 

 very well. If too much water be not put, 

 say about one-third the quantity of ex- 

 pressed juice, the cyderkin will prove 

 good. It ought to remain 48 hours be- 

 fore repressed. The best way is to 

 grind the murk a second time, whereby 

 much more liquor will be obtained. The 

 cyder should be put into very clean sweet 

 casks, which should not be filled, but a 

 small space left for the working. The 

 duration of the ferment is uncertain, be- 

 ing from a week to a month, or more, ac- 

 cording to the state of the atmosphere. 

 If the fruit be in a proper state, and that 

 no frost should intervene, it will general- 

 ly be regular; but in the latter case, ar- 

 tificial warmth, not exceeding 60 degrees, 

 may be used, and a piece of well- toasted 

 bread be put in. When the fermentation 

 is declining, draw off the cyder from its 

 lees, by means of a cock at a few inches 

 from the bottom of the cask, and put it 

 into another vessel, which must, after the 

 first effervescence, be well filled, and be 

 bunged up very close. 



It is proper to state in this place, that 

 very large quantities of good stum are 

 annually spoilt, by being placed either in 

 too hot situations, where the fermentation 

 proceeds unduly to the second, or ace- 

 tous degree; or in too cold or damp a 



