THE ORCHARD. 



253 



a while and has fermented a little. It has then a 

 tang and a sting to the tongue which add a delightful 

 snap to it, and we drink it to the lees. Hard cider, of 

 course, is as intoxicating as any other liquor much fer- 

 mented. It is one of the enjoyments about the old 

 fireplace to mull the cider — namely, to make a poker 

 red hot, and then to plunge it in a jug, or pitcher, of 

 the liquid. This causes it to sizzle mildly, and gives 

 It a rich, burnt taste; and, when doughnuts are eaten 

 with the cider, it is a fine treat. It goes along with 

 nuts for the winter evenings. Our great-grandfathers, 

 indeed, would have nothing of a common poker, but 

 used, instead, a regular mulling iron and a flip glass 

 for it. The iron was like a poker, but with the lower 

 end greatly enlarged, and hexagonal or round in shape ; 

 and the flip glass, or mug, was very ornamental, and, 

 tapering toward the bottom, flared out widely at the 

 top, so as to receive the iron. The glass was warmed 

 before the fire, and the mulling iron was heated in the 

 embers; and a pretty, old-time picture it was, with the 

 large, capacious glasses in rows before the hearth. 



There is always something to do in the orchard. 

 The weeds and briers must be tended to, and the poison 

 ivy must be killed that so frequently makes its home 

 among our apple-trees. We can hang our scythe con- 

 veniently in some of the gnarled and crinkled crotches. 

 In the fall and spring there is plenty of work in taking 

 care of the trees, cutting off the suckers, checking the 

 growth where it has been too rapid, and generally thin- 

 ning out the dying and superfluous branches; and these 

 old dead limbs, when lopped off, make the best of fire- 

 wood. Sound apple-wood, too, is very beautiful when 



