400 On the Cnllivatiou of Orchards, and 
comparatively poor in sarcliarine matter ; while the ferment \vill 
be more plentiful, or stronj^er; both of which circumstances are 
calculated to produce rapid and violent fermentation, which it is 
difficult to check or control before all the sweetness is exhausted. 
If, on the contrary, the fruit be suffered to remain some days 
under the tree, exposed to the li^ht and air, and when collected 
be placed in heaps, not exceedino^ eight or ten inches deep, either 
in the orchard or under airy sheds, and allowed to remain some 
weeks until they become quite mellow, four points will be attained 
favourable to the production of good cider. First, the water of 
the juice will be diminished; second, the ferment will become 
less powerful ; third, the saccharine matter will be positively in- 
creased ; and, fourth, the season of the year will become cooler 
.and more favourable to a moderate degree of fermentation. Poor 
apple-juice, like thin wort, ferments quickly, and afterwards, 
V, hen exposed to the least air, at a moderate temperature, is apt 
to turn sour; while rich juice, as well as strong wort, ferments 
slowly ; and the more active degree of fermentation is soon 
checked by the production of a greater quantity of vinous spirit, 
the presence of which has a strong tendency to subdue that 
action, and to bring the liquor to that state in which further 
vinous change takes place slowly. After the sugar of thin cider 
is exhausted by fermentation it still retains a considerable quantity 
of gluten, or ferment ; this, having no sugar to act upon, now 
promotes the change of the spirit into vinegar, or acetic acid ; a 
change which takes place with greater or less speed according to 
the degree of temperature and of exposure to the air — for in- 
stance, under a slow draught and in a warm situation. Cider 
made from richer juice is for a long time protected from the 
acetous change ; for after the more active fermentation has ceased, 
a large portion of the sugar is left unchanged in the liquor, upon 
which the still slowly-precipitating gluten, or ferment, acts to 
the preservation and increase of the spirit. 
It is well known that, during the operation of grinding, the 
pulp of apples and pears becomes much sweeter; and by a fur- 
ther exposure to the air the sweetness is still further increased. 
Some exceedingly harsh pears yield quite a sweet pulp by mere 
grinding. This change appears to be of a similar nature to that 
which takes place in the conversion of starch into sugar by the 
action of liruised malt, and is probably due to the same cause — 
the presence of air, moisture, and gluten. 
The above explanations, it is presumed, are calculated to throw 
some light upon the operations of cider-making ; and, by dis- 
pelling in some degree the mystery in which, as a practical art, it 
is involved, to lead to clearer views and more certain results. 
In the west of England and in Ireland, apples are generally 
