31 



APHORISMS 



CONCERNING 



CIDER: 



ByM'B 8JL 8. 



JE that would treat exaftly of Cider and Ter-^ 

 ry muft lay his foundation (b deep as to be- 

 gin with the Soyl ; For as no Culture or 

 Graffs will exalt the French Wines to com- 

 pare with the Wines of Greece^Canaries, and 

 Montefiafco 5 fo neither will the Cider of 

 Bromyard and Ledbury equal that of AUenf- 

 more^ Ham-lacy^ and Kings-Capell , in the 

 lame fmall County of Hereford. 



1. Yet the choice of the Graff ox. Fruit hath fo much of pre- 

 valency, that the Red-Jiral^e-Cider will every where excel common 

 Cider, as the Grape of Frontignac, Canary, or Baccharach, excels the 

 common Frengh Grape ; at leaft, till by time and traduftion it de- 

 generateth. 



3. I cannot divine what Soil or what Fruit would yield the beft 

 Cider ^ or, how excellent Cider or Perry might be if all Soils in 

 common and all Fruit were tried ^ but for thirty years I have 

 tried all forts of Cider in Hereford-fiire, and for three years I have 

 tried the beft Cider in Somerfet-jhire 5 and for fome years I have 

 had the hc9i Cider oi Kent and Ej[ex at my call i yet hitherto I 

 have always'found the Cider of Hereford-Jhire the beft, and fo ad- 

 judged by all good Palates. 



4. I cannot undertake to particularize all kind o£soil, no more 

 than to compute how many jyllahles may be drawn from the Al- 

 phabet •■, the number of Alphabetical Elements being better known 

 then the Ingredients and Particles of Soil, as Chalky Clay, Gravel, 

 Sand, Mark, (the tenacioufncfs, colour, and innumerable other 

 qualities,ftiewing endlefs diverfities-,)and the Fruit oiCrabs, Apples, 

 and Pears, being as various as of Grapes, Figs, and Plums. 



5. Yet in grofs, this I note:, That as Bacchi amant colles, and 

 a light ground, fo our beft Cider comes from the hot Rie-lands : 

 In fat wheat-land it is more iluggifl: ^ and in white, ftiff Clay- 

 land ("as in Wool/hope in Hereford-Jkire") the common Cider retains 

 a thick whey-colour, and not good : Only fuch as emergeth there 



D (by 



