Recent Imp'ovements in Cider and Perry Malcing. 183 
for tliis reason that many cider-makers still adhere to the old 
stone mill, and with good reason. The acid in the fruit must 
act upon the ii'on in some degree. It may be slight, and doubt- 
less is in most cases, but there is always the danger of the pre- 
sence of rust, which, held in solution by the cider, will turn it 
black upon exposure to the air. By far the greater danger, 
however, arises from the contact of the cider with lead, as the 
liquor easily dissolves that metal and holds it in solution, with 
very dangerous consequences to the consumer. Too much care, 
therefore, can never be taken to prevent their contact. It is 
impossible altogether to prevent it, because the trough stones 
are held together by iron clamps leaded in ; but they can easily 
be cleaned before use and kept clean afterwards. The pulp 
should not be allowed to remain in the trough for any length of 
time, and under no circumstances whatever should a leaky cask 
be stopped with, white or red lead. 
For the purpose of grinding the fruit and reducing it to a 
pulp — which is known indiffei'ently as the " math," " cheese," 
or " cake " — many machines have been invented, the principal 
of which are here described. The old machine was a circular 
trough of wood, having a heavy wooden roller studded with 
large nails revolving in it, which crushed the fruit; but the 
necessity for a gi'eater weight to crush it more led to the employ- 
ment of stone troughs and rollers. It consists of the following 
parts : the trough, the bruising-stone or roller, cog-wheel, and 
upright axle. 
The trough, which of course is circular, is of stone, and hollowed out to 
the depth of about nine or ten inches, the edge next the axle being cut with 
a perpendicidar face, while the outside one is cut slanting from the top to 
the bottom, leaving the top edge, from two to three inches wide, the thinnest. 
It is generally made about thirty feet in circumference, and in four parts, of 
millstone grit, clamped together when laid down with iron clamps. On the 
top of the outside edge is placed some woodwork technically called " curbing," 
of the same thickness as the edge of the trough at bottom, but finishing off 
with nearly a sharp edge. Its object is twofold: first, to prevent the fruit 
and pulp from being carried over, and, secondly, to correspond with the 
planking which covers the nut in the centre. 
The bruising-stone or roller, made of the same material as the trough, is 
generally made from four to five feet in diameter, and nearly the same 
width as the trough, flat on the side next the centre, but a little convex on 
the other. In the centre of the runner is placed a strong wooden axle, con- 
nected by means of a strong iron rod with an upright axle in the centre of 
the stone trough. This rod projects far enough from the outside of the 
runner to connect by means of another iron rod with a wooden bar, which is 
also linked with the upright axle, and to which is fastened the horse. The 
height is easily regulated by a bed of concrete or stonework under the 
trough. 
The cog-wheel, about two feet in diameter, is fitted to the horizontal axle, 
and runs on the woodwork which covers the whole space between the 
interior edge of the trough and the perpendicular axle, and is called the 
