568 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



to produce by complete fermentation is determined by the amount o 

 sugar, and upon the amount of alcohol present depends very largeljl 

 the keeping qualities of the cider or perry. At the same time, the 

 larger the amount of sugar there is present the greater scope has thJ 

 maker to regulate the character of the cider or perry produced as 

 regards its degree of sweetness. This point, however, is influenced t<. 

 a greater extent by the second factor of vintage quality mentioned 

 viz. the rate of fermentation of the juice. The rate varies very greatlji 

 in juices from different varieties. If it is excessive, the fermentation 

 is too vigorous and cannot be controlled, with the result that only a 

 " dry " cider or perry — that is to say, a cider that has lost all its 

 sugar, and, therefore, its sweetness — can be made. On the other hand, 

 if the rate is too slow, while it is easy to regulate the fermentation 

 so that any desired degree of sweetness can be retained, the cider or 

 perry is unfortunately extremely liable to contract certain disorders 

 which detract seriously from its value. The flavour of a cider or perry 

 which has undergone a slow fermentation is almost invariably superior 

 to that of one which has fermented rapidly. The best type of fermenta- 

 tion is one of a moderately slow rate, which enables the maker tc 

 control it at will and to produce a beverage of any degree of sweetness 

 desired. 



There are several other features which affect vintage quality 

 but they are, speaking from the point of view of the quality of the 

 cider or perry produced, of secondary importance only. As such may 

 je mentioned the yield of juice — a good variety being capable of giving 

 as much as 80 per cent, of the weight of the fruit with the besf 

 modern types of machinery — and the texture of the fruit. The latter 

 point is in certain seasons, when the fruit does not keep well, 

 etspecially important, since, in gathering, the fruit is almost invariably 

 more or less bruised, and soft-fleshed apples accordingly quickly begin 

 to decay, and frequently, therefore, have to be milled before they are 

 really fit for cider-making. Vintage quality is also affected by a number 

 of external factors. The kind -of soil in which the fruit is grown, the' 

 character of the season, and the degree of ripeness of the fruit at the 

 time of making, all exercise a material influence upon the quality of 

 the cider or perry. Even the age of the trees has an appreciablei 

 effect, the liquor made from the fruit of young trees being relatively 

 less rich and of a coarser type. I 



The question of the desirability of utilizing market varieties of 

 apples for vintage purposes has often been discussed. While it is pos- 

 sible to produce a palatable beverage from them by suitable treatment,, 

 especially if they are blended with good sweet and bitter-sweet vintage 

 varieties, the type of cider is as a rule markedly inferior in richness 

 and quality to that prepared fromi standard vintage kinds. The corn-j 

 position of the juice of a typical market apple indicates clearly its 

 unsuita-bility for vintage purposes. The acidity is generally relatively 

 high and the amount of tannin extremely small, while the sugar is 

 also deficient. In addition, the rate of fermentation is usually very 



