On  the  Farming  of  Somerset. 
737 
The  usual  routine  of  cider-making  in  Somersetshire  is  the  same 
as  that  practised  in  Devonshire,  which  has  been  fully  described 
by  Mr.  Tanner  in  his  Report  on  that  County. 
The  practice  of  Devonshire  and  Somersetshire  varies  from  that 
of  Herefordshire  chiefly  in  the  fact  that  whereas  the  west  country 
makers  merely  crush  the  apples,  the  Herefordshire  makers  extract 
the  flavour  of  the  pips  and  skins  by  a very  slow  process  of  grind- 
ing the  pulp.  Some  improvement  might  probably  be  made  in 
our  cider-mills  by  which  the  latter  object  might  also  be  obtained 
at  less  cost  of  time  and  labour. 
Some  few  makers  near  Taunton  now  use  a simple  Saccharo- 
meter  for  testing  the  quantity  of  sugar  in  the  cider.  It  is  a 
graduated  glass  tube,  loaded  at  one  end  so  as  to  float  upright  in 
a liquid.  It  sinks  to  zero  in  distilled  water  at  a medium  tempe- 
rature, and  rises  in  very  rich  new  cider  to  60°.  The  maker  is 
enabled  by  this  instrument  to  ascertain  the  original  quantity  of 
sugar  in  the  apple-juice,  and  the  extent  to  which  the  fermentation 
has  proceeded  in  the  cider  by  the  consequent  loss  of  sugar. 
Mr.  Crosse,  of  Broomfield- lodge,  states  that  in  the  year  1848 
the  best  new  cider  did  not  contain  more  than  45°  of  sugar, 
whereas  in  a fine  summer  it  contains  60°,  showing  a difference  of 
25  per  cent,  dependent  on  the  full  elaboration  of  the  juices  of  the 
fruit.*  He  has  also  been  kind  enough  to  allow  me  to  insert  the 
following  practical  suggestions  in  this  Report: — 
“ A certain  mode  of  ensuring  good  cider  is  the  following : — First  press 
out  the  juice,  not  earlier  than  the  month  of  November,  then  test  it  by  the 
saccharometer — say  that  this  instrument  stands  at  55° — allow  it  to  remain 
in  an  open  vat,  till  the  instrument  points  50°,  then  match  it  and  cask  it 
and  stop  it  with  a syphon  buns:,  or  inverted  syphon,  one  end  protruding 
from  the  bung  of  the  cask,  and  the  other  let  fall  into  a cup  of  water, 
placed  on  the  side  of  the  cask.  The  moment  the  least  sign  of  incipient 
fermentation  takes  place  rack  it  again,  and,  if  necessary,  match  it  again, 
returning  the  cider  into  the  cask.  Repeat  this  at  intervals  when  necessary, 
closely  watching  it.  Generally  six  or  seven  rackings  and  two  matchings 
will  suffice.  After  these  the  cider  is  fit  for  my  process  of  purification, 
which  is  effected  as  follows  : — Make  a frame  so  arranged  as  to  hold  a long 
trough  in  the  position  of  an  inclined  plane,  with  legs  below  to  support  it 
nearly  horizontally,  and  a support  above  it  to  contain  eight  bags  of  mode- 
rately thick  calico,  each  formed  like  a jelly-bag,  and  large  enough  to  con- 
tain three  pailsf  full  of  cider.  These  bags  are  arranged  side  by  side,  and 
in  such  a manner  that  the  fluid  thrown  into  them  runs  out  at  their  pointed 
ends  into  the  inclined  trough  below,  and  is  thus  conveyed  into  a tub  placed 
to  receive  it.  For  convenience  each  bag  is  attached  by  strings  to  a square 
frame,  which  rests  upon  the  framework  of  the  apparatus,  and  can  be 
removed  at  pleasure  for  the  purpose  of  being  washed,  & c.  The  night 
before  the  purification  of  the  cider  the  liquor  is  racked  into  an  open  vat, 
into  which  a solution  of  isinglass  is  poured  and  well  stirred  up.  This  con- 
* There  is  a very  full  treatise  on  Cider-maUing,  written  by  Mr.  Andrew  Crosse 
in  the  ‘ Library  of  Practical  Agriculture,’  published  by  Mr.  Baxter,  of  Lewes. 
■)•  Sixteen  pails  to  the  hogshead. 
