56 FRUIT CULTURE. 



The fruit for winter use should remain on the 

 trees until danger of sharp frosts, and then be 

 hand-picked and placed in clean barrels, with 

 greatest care not to bruise. Every imperfect 

 specimen should be rejected. The picking should 

 be done in a dry day, and the barrels should re- 

 main open a few days to allow for " sweating." 

 Afterwards the barrels should be headed and 

 placed on their sides in a cold store-room, or on 

 the north side of a building, until in danger of 

 freezing, which is usually in the latter part of 

 November in New England. The barrels should 

 then go to a cold and moist cellar. In a warm 

 and dry cellar the fruit shrivels and matures pre- 

 maturely. At a moist temperature of 32°, Rox- 

 bury Russets keep an infinite time. 



Cider made from sound fruit, and allowed to 

 work only to the j)oint of clarifying, is a health- 

 ful and a temperance beverage. It is not to be 

 made after the manner of the farmers of old 

 from all sorts of fruit, rotten and wormy, or 

 otherwise, and then encouraged to ferment until 

 it becomes " hard," but with a family mill, cost- 

 ing from twelve to twenty dollars, a grinding 

 of a bushel, or a barrel, of fruit from time to 

 time will give a fresh supply of a mild, agree- 

 able, and innocent drink. 



Apple juice boiled down to one quarter of its 



