180 Itecsni Imjrrovements in Cider and Femj Mahiiig, 
the enhanced price obtained for the produce in a good yeal* 
would about counterbalance the losses from a bad season. If, 
however, to Mr. Watkins's list be added the Eggleton Styre and 
Strawberry Norman, the planter in the West Midland District 
cannot possibly go wrong. 
In the Western the favourite fruits and the ones best for 
cider-making are the Coccagee ; the Kingston Black, which 
ought to be kept up, as it is certainly one of the best cider apples 
grown ; the Horner, or Hangdown, the Hollow Core, the Jersey 
Chisel, and the Red Cap. Besides these many of the culinary 
and dessert apples make good cider. That famous old apple, so 
well known all over England, " Tom Putt," makes really good 
cider for home consumption and drinking off from draught, as 
do the Norfolk and Hereford Beefings, with the russets and many 
others. In America it is the rule to make all the cider and 
perry from the culinary and dessert fruit, using such as the 
following among apples : Duchess of Oldenburgh, Northern Spy, 
Baldwin, Golden Russet, &c. ; while the pears are all the best 
kinds which cannot be got rid of before they spoil — cider and 
perry fruit, as we know it, appearing comparatively unknown. 
In Jersey it is much the same with the little which is now made 
there. 
The time of year at which the fruit ripens is an important 
consideration. Many of the early varieties are, as before stated, 
free bearers, and make excellent cider, but there is great difficulty 
in carrying the liquor through the various processes of fermenta- 
tion because of the warm weather of the autumn. This subject 
will, however, be more fully treated when the manufacture of cider 
and perry is considered. 
Gathering the Fruit. — This should, as far as possible, be 
done under the grower's personal supervision. The proper time 
will soon be seen by the change of colour and strong odour 
given out by the fruit when ripe, as also by its dropping from 
the tree. On no pretext whatever should a beating pole, for the 
pui'pose of knocking the fruits off the branches, be allowed, as 
the next year's crop would be gi'eatly damaged by the fruit 
buds being beaten off at the same time. The fruits should bo 
hand-picked as far as possible, the labourer mounting the tree 
and shaking off the fruit he cannot reach by means of a pole 
having a crook at the end. The fruit should be protected from 
damage by falling, where the grass in the orchard is not long 
enougli, by some straw strewn under the trees. During this 
operation the advantage of having one variety of fruit together, 
instead of being planted indiscriminately over the orchard, will 
be very apj)are?it. 
As the fruit is picked, it should bo taken and placed in a 
