164 



Cider Factories in France. 



As soon as the fruit in the first tank is exhausted by this 

 washing with water, the stream is turned into the second, and 

 the sixth tank, now freshly filled with pulp, is put in service as 

 the final member of the battery. Then the first tank is emptied 

 and refilled with fresh fruit to take the last place in the series, 

 when the third tank becomes the first cell in the battery. Thus 

 the operation proceeds indefinitely. It should be said that the 

 richness of the must delivered at the exit from the fifth cell 

 always determines when a fresh tub or cell must be " cut in," as 

 the flow through the last tub of fresh fruit strengthens the must 

 very much. The strength or richness is ascertained very readily 

 by specific gravity. 



The manufacture of cider by the diffusion method is carried 

 on in France to a considerable extent, but its present im- 

 portance does not appear to warrant extended discussion here. 

 It may be worthy of study, but all the indications seem to point 

 to its failure to produce a genuine high-grade cider. 



In the factory at St. Ouen-de-Thouberville, two hand presses 

 were provided as a reserve to be used in case of accident to the 

 hydraulic presses. 



The main operations prior to fermentation have now been 

 outlined. The must of the several grades has been delivered by- 

 pumps to the large casks in the fermentation room. Through 

 each section of this part of the building runs a main brass pipe 

 connecting with the pumps. The flow is readily turned into 

 the desired section by valve cut-offs, and in each section the 

 must is delivered to the receptacles by rubber tubes which can 

 be attached to the " main " at convenient points. Each cask 

 as filled is marked with the date and such other data as are 

 necessary to guide the operator in the details of the fer- 

 mentation. At the same time, proper entries are made in the 

 factory journal for future reference. 



From the upper room, where the first fermentation occurs, the 

 cider runs by gravity at first racking to the room below, which 

 is a sort of half-cellar. Here it usually rests until it is finished 

 cider. A railway runs into this lower room to carry the finished 

 cider in casks of proper size for transportation to a platform at 

 the lower side of the factory, from which they are rolled on to 

 the carts without lifting — an important advantage. 



