1908.] 



Cider Orchards. 



583 



importance to be estimated. One of the most important of 

 these is the characteristic flavour of the variety, a factor which 

 is frequently sufficiently pronounced materially to affect the 

 value of a cider. Two kinds of apples may have approxi- 

 mately the same chemical composition, and may yield the 

 same type of cider, and yet the values of the two ciders may 

 be widely different, owing solely to the difference in flavour 

 of the two sorts. This feature is usually much more strongly 

 marked in the case of sharp varieties than with other kinds. 



Another most important factor is the rate of fermentation 

 of the juice. Owing to a variety of causes this varies to some 

 extent even with the same variety, but, generally speaking, 

 the whole of the available evidence points to the conclusion 

 that under normal conditions some varieties yield slowly 

 fermenting juices, others give juice fermenting at a moderate 

 rate, and others again produce juices capable of rapid fer- 

 mentation. The general experience of cider-makers goes to 

 show that members of the latter class are undesirable, since a 

 dry cider only can be obtained from them by natural means. 

 The flavour also is usually coarse. The other two classes are 

 useful, the slowly-fermenting juices being naturally adapted 

 for the production of sweet ciders, and those fermenting at 

 a moderate rate being suitable for the preparation of dry, 

 medium, or moderately sweet ciders. 



Varieties which yield juices subject to an excessively slow 

 fermentation should not be planted too extensively, since 

 the ciders made from them are particularly liable to certain 

 disorders, as, for example, cider sickness. However, if a 

 supply of more rapidly fermenting juice is available for 

 blending, such varieties may be utilised with safety. Un- 

 fortunately for the cider- maker there seems to be generally 

 some connection between the rate of fermentation of the juice 

 of a variety and the vigour of growth of the tree. Many of the 

 strongest growing varieties, e.g., Broadleaf and Morgan Sweet, 

 yield excessively rapidly fermenting juices, i.e., the lowest 

 grade ciders ; while weak-growing varieties, such as Kingston 

 Black, give slowly fermenting juices and the best quality ciders. 

 Possibly, when sufficient data are available, it may be found 

 that the rate of fermentation of the juices varies directly 

 as the vigour of growth of the tree. Further research, however, 



