210 FAIIMERS' AND MECHANICS' JOURNAL. 



think of making a superior wine from an indiscriminate mixture of 

 a dozen kinds of e;rapes ? And jet we seem to expect good cider 

 from an indiscriminate mixture of a dozen kinds of apples. It may 

 be urged, that the evil is irremediahle, because our orchards, con- 

 taining these dozen varieties, have been furnished to our hands ; 

 and that neither the quantity nor quality of any one kind of fruit 

 renders it an object to manufacture it separately. Is it not time, 

 then, to set about correcting the evil, by selecting only the best 

 kinds for new plantations ? A farmer should make cider to sell, 

 and it is material to him whether he obtains two or ten dollars the 

 barrel. Our manufactories, our towns and cities, and the demand 

 for exportation, will always ensure a market and price for good 

 ciders. Mr. VVynkoop, of Lancaster, Pa., has 400 trees, of the 

 Virginia crab, on less than five acres of ground ; and when his 

 orchard was twenty-two years old, he stated to the Piosident of 

 the Pennsylvania Agricultural Society, that it produced him every 

 other year forty hogsheads of cider, of 1 12 gallons each ; which he 

 sold at 2s. 6(/. the gallon, or about ^1500 in the gross. And yet 

 this apple is not a tirst-rate cider apple. It is deficient in sugar, 

 but abounds in astringcncy, rather a keeping than an enriching 

 quality. What farmer can apply his land to better profit ? Wines 

 differ as much in their quality and price as ciders. Fruit, soil and 

 skill make the dilTerence in both ; and upon the proper selection 

 and expense of those, depend the qufiHty of the liquor, and the 

 consequent profits of the cultivator. Upon this branch of the sub- 

 ject I will only add, that the apples should ripen upon the tree, be 

 gathered when dry, in a cleanly manner, spread in an airy, conve- 

 nient situation, if practicable, for a time, to induce an evaporation 

 of aqueous matter, which will increase the strength and flavor of 

 the liquor, and be separated fiom rotten fruit and every kind of 

 filth, before they are ground. 



4. Grinding, ^-c. The apples should be reduced, by the mill, 

 as nearly as possible to an uniform mass, iii which the rinds and 

 seeds are scarcely discoverable ; and the pomace should be ex- 

 posed to the air from twelve to twenty-four hours, according to the 

 temperature, before it is pressed. The Juices of the rind of fruit, 

 as may be instanced in the orange and lemon, are highly concen- 

 trated ; and those of the rind of the apple have a material influ- 

 ence, with the aromatic bitter of the seeds, upon the flavor and 

 strength of the liquor. 



On partially macerating the pulp of an api)le, and subjecting it 

 . to immediate pressure, the juice which escapes will be found to be 

 thin, nearly colorless, and devoid of flavor. If the maceration is 

 perfect, so as to crush the seeds and break down the rind, the 

 strength, color and flavor of the must will be improved : and if the 

 macerated pulp is exposed for a few hours to the atmosphere, and 

 then subjected to pressure, the^'^e desirable properties in the li iu or 

 will be found to be still further augmented. " Bv the chemical 

 action of the roiier," says Knight, •* the various fluids whirh occu- 

 pv the different vessels and cells of the fruit, are mingled with the 



