738 
On  the  Farming  of  Somerset. 
sists  of  one  ounce  and  a half  of  isinglass  boiled  in  three  pints  of  old  cider 
till  dissolved,  and  then  strained  through  a hair  sieve.  On  the  following 
morning  the  liquor  is  again  stirred  up  and  ladled  into  the  bags,  into  each 
of  which  a small  teacupful  of  powdered  charcoal  has  been  previously 
thrown.  The  liquor  when  thrown  into  the  bags  is  as  foul  as  thin  mud, 
but  in  a few  minutes  runs  out  as  clear  as  the  finest  Bucellas  wine.  It  is 
then  tested  for  the  last  time  by  the  saccharometer,  and  it  ought  never  to 
be  under  40°  to  make  first-rate  cider.  It  is  then  immediately  cashed  and 
bunged  down  tight,  and  if  well  made  will  never  ferment  again.  It  should 
be  bottled  the  following  March— being  then  three  or  four  months  old,  as 
the  case  may  be.  This  mode  of  purification  saves  infinite  trouble,  as  with- 
out it  it  is  not  uncommon  to  rack  it  upwards  of  20  times,  and  match  it  5 
or  6 times,  and  the  cider  is  not  half  so  good  and  much  waste  takes  place.” 
Planting.— There  are  not  many  extensive  plantations  in  Somer- 
setshire. Those  of  Lord  Poulett,  between  Chard  and  Crew- 
kerne,  are  thriving  and  extensive,  well  and  regularly  thinned. 
There  are  large  plantations  on  Lord  Portman's  property  at  Staple 
Fitzpaine,  and  on  various  properties  on  the  Quantocks,  Brendon, 
Porlock,  and  Winsford  Hills. 
The  following  are  the  maxims  of  a very  experienced  planter, 
who  has  superintended  woods  in  the  last-named  hills  : — 
Selection  of  Plants. — Choose  short  stiff  plants  from  a nursery 
where  they  have  been  transplanted  two  or  three  times. 
Sorts  of  Plants. — Larch  trees  are  good  nurses  to  other  plants, 
and  come  to  be  useful  early  ; but  in  exposed  situations  Scotch 
must  be  planted  amongst  them  ; and  in  very  exposed  situations 
there  should  be  a belt  of  Scotch  or  Pinaster  against  the  west. 
Time  of  Planting. — In  dry  soils  plant  before  Christmas;  in 
wet  soils  after  Christmas. 
Placing  the  Plants. — Plant  thickly  at  first — 3 to  5 feet  apart 
— and  as  irregularly  as  possible  ; they  stand  better  for  thinning, 
and  break  the  wind  better  than  when  they  are  planted  in  straight 
lines. 
Thinning. — In  a thriving  plantation  thinning  must  begin  in 
five  or  six  years.  The  best  way  is  to  cut  the  browse  and  lower 
branches  first ; then,  for  two  or  three  years,  take  out  any  that  are 
touching  their  neighbours,  or  are  getting  weak ; after  that,  i.e. 
