322 



The Fruit and Cider Institute. 



[SEPT., 



central position in the cider-making districts. The buildings 

 previously in existence on the site have been altered and added 

 to according to the requirements of the work, and land adjoining 

 to the extent of about 14 acres has been acquired, One section 

 of the buildings is occupied by the cider mill and press, the press 

 being on the ground floor and the mill fixed into the floor of the 

 room above the press. This room is used as an apple store, and 

 a considerable saving of labour is effected by this arrangement y 

 since the apples can be passed directly into the mill and the 

 pulp conducted by means of a copper chute on to one of the 

 beds of the press underneath, where the " cheese " is built up. 

 There are two beds to the press, and these are reversible, so- 

 that while one "cheese" is being pressed another can be made 

 up. The construction of the mill is such that the fruit is grated 

 or scratched into a fine pulp. The cider plant is of a modern 

 type, and its principal characteristics are speed in working and 

 a large yield of juice, the latter being probably mainly due to 

 the fine state of division of the pulp. 



Adjoining the press room is the engine house, containing a 

 steam engine, which is used for driving the mill and working 

 the press, and a boiler, to which is attached a steam-pipe passing 

 into the wash-house. The latter is a large roofed and paved 

 structure with open sides, specially suited for steaming and 

 washing casks and other utensils used in cider-making, and also 

 admirably adapted as an open-air fermentation room. The 

 apple juice during its early stages of fermentation is usually 

 kept in the keeving room, which adjoins the apple loft and 

 stands over the cellar. The juice, after flowing from the press 

 into a slate tank sunk in the floor of the press room, is pumped 

 into large open casks or keeves in the keeving room, and 

 remains there until it is desired to rack it off into the storage 

 casks in the cellar beneath. Here, again, a saving, of labour is 

 effected, since the racking can be accomplished by means of a 

 siphon. The cellar is situated on the ground floor in the in- 

 terior of the building, being thus protected to a considerable 

 extent against sudden changes of temperature. 



The laboratory has been built along the western wall of the 

 cellar, and is fitted up with the apparatus necessary for the 

 biological and chemical work. 



