THE CIDER AND PERRY INDUSTRY. 



189 



" Medicus," having lately stated that the use of cider affected the 

 teeth injuriously, and that decayed teeth and toothache prevailed 

 in the cider districts, I made inquiries of a medical man who has 

 long practised in Herefordshire, as the statement of " Medicus " 

 was diametrically opposed to my own experience. The gentle- 

 man to whom I wrote replied that " Medicus " was mistaken, no 

 injurious effect of cider on the teeth having heen observed by 

 him. My informant added that, although mineral acids, such as 

 sulphuric and nitric, are undoubtedly destructive to the teeth, 

 fruit acids, the chief of which is malic acid, not only had no such 

 effect, but were, on the contrary, preservatives of the teeth by 

 neutralising the alkaline secretions of the mouth. 



I may also mention in this connection the fact, without 

 drawing any strained inference from it, that natives of Hereford- 

 shire are noted for their longevity. A remarkable instance is 

 mentioned by old authorities, and to this day the county retains 

 its reputation in this respect, as in the Report of the Registrar- 

 General it is one of the four in which the duration of life is 

 longest. 



On the point of the wholesomeness of cider and perry I have 

 now said enough, and I proceed to consider the industrial value 

 of the trade. The benefit to the farmer who has orchards is 

 obvious. In years of abundance, fruit — apples and pears — is too 

 often left to rot on the ground for want of a demand. When 

 cider and perry become popular drinks, two courses lie open to 

 the farmer. He can either sell the fruit to the cider merchant, 

 or make it himself into liquor, which he can store away until the 

 season or an opportunity arrives for disposing of it. When he 

 has the appliances and the skill his most profitable plan will be 

 to make it into cider and perry, the return from the sale of the 

 drink if sound and well made being much larger than that he 

 would receive for the fruit. A gentleman, writing to me this 

 spring from Kent, where last year they set up a cider-making 

 plant, says : "How many thousands of pounds should we have 

 been in pocket if all the Kent apples literally thrown away last 

 autumn (1895) were now stored in liquid form in the shape of 

 wholesome cider ! " But even the sale of the fruit is not such 

 an unprofitable business, even in years of abundance, when, of 

 course, the price is low, for the quantity makes up for the reduced 

 value. I have here a table showing the prices given by cider 



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