CYDER. 
hinges at their junction will rise and fall ac- 
cording as the stone may sink more or less 
into the trough ; thus causing the board al- 
ways to keep at its proper distance in front. 
The board may have one or tw'o iron pins 
on each side, pointing downwards for two 
or three inches^ for the purpose of guiding 
and retaining it in the proper direction on 
tlie circular surface of the trough. 
The best and most commodious grinding 
mills for ordinary use consists of an oblong 
funnel, capable of containing about two 
bushels ; this directs the apples down to two 
cylinders, placed horizontally at about half 
an inch or less asunder. Each cylinder is 
furnished with many rows of strong teeth ; 
between each two there is a mortice, so 
that as one is set in motion by a crank, or 
winch handle, it locks mutually in witli the 
other, and causes it to revolve with a coun- 
ter-motion, thereby catching in tire apples, 
and forcing them through between the rol- 
ler’s into a receiver placed below. The cy- 
linders may be about a foot long, and per- 
haps four or five inches in diameter. Many 
use iron teeth ; but those made of lignum 
vitoe are preferable. They should be about 
an inch square, and project nearly as much, 
their ends being cut to a wedge form. These 
teeth ought to be in regular bands, with in- 
termediate mortices for the reception of 
those locking in from the otlier cylinder ; the 
bands or rows to be about two or three 
inches asunder, and the teeth about two 
inches apart. Fig. 5. in tlie same plate will 
give some idea of this machine, which will 
be found also in the Agricultural Magazine 
for Februar y or March, 1808. 
The pulp is put into cloth receivers, 
made of horse hair; and being piled in as 
many layers as the machine will contain, is 
compressed by the means of large levers 
turning a wooden pillar screw, the same as 
in the paper manufactories, &c. so that all 
the juice is forced out, and the pulp is ren- 
dered dry and thin. The liquor thus ob- 
tained is called stum, and the residuum is 
Called murk. The latter is frequently broken 
up, and being infused with boiling water, is 
again pressed for the purpose of giving a 
small liquor called cyderkin, purre, or per- 
kin. Some add hops thereto, which makes 
it keep very well. If too much water be 
not put, say about one-third tlie quantity of 
expressed juice, the cyderkin will prove 
good.. It ought to remain 48 hours before 
re-pressed. The best way is to grind the 
murk a second time, whereby much more 
liquor will be obtained. The cyder should 
be put into very clean, sweet casks, wlii'cl* 
should not be filled, but a small space left 
for the working. The duration of the fer- 
ment is uncertain, being from a week to a 
month, or more, according to the state of 
tlie. atmosphere. If the fruit be in a proper 
state, and that no frost should intervene, it 
will generally be regular ; but in the latter 
case artificial warmth, not exceeding 60 
degrees, may be used, and a piece of well- 
toasted bread be put in. When the fer- 
mentation is declining, draw off the cyder 
from its lees, by means of a cock at a few 
inches from the bottom of the cask, and put 
it into anotlier vessel, which must, after the 
first effervescence, be well filled, and be 
bunged up very close. 
It is proper to state in this place, tliat 
very large quantities of good stum are an- 
nually spoilt by being placed, either in too 
hot situations, where the fermentation pro- 
ceeds unduly to the second, or acetous de- 
gree ; or in too cold and damp a cellar, &c. 
as where the fermentation is tardy and im- 
perfect. Cyder left to work upon coarse 
foul lees will ferment with great vigour, but 
is apt to expend itself, and to leave either 
an insipid subacid liquor, or to burst the 
casks if closed too soon. Spirits are the 
best preventative to both ; on the conti- 
nent, and in America, we understand, that 
those few who make good cyder (which is 
extremely scarce in those parts, though 
apples of the finest quality abound) inva- 
riably doctor the stum when the fermenta- 
tion is either defective or excessive ; having 
abundance of spirits they can easily prevent 
that mischief which in this country could 
not be obviated at any moderate expense. 
When cyder fails, and becomes acid, the 
acetous change should be encouraged ; it 
makes excellent vinegar, worth at least two 
shillings and six-pence the gallon ; whereas 
in cyder countries the same quantity used 
as beverage would not produce more than 
two shillings ; from which deduct the duty, 
which is about five-pence per gallon. When 
cyder has been well made, and is put into 
capacious vessels, it will keep sound for 
many years ; becoming rich and mellow : 
in small quantities it is more apt to become 
fiat. When bottled for many years it is 
common to find it taste very strongly of the 
cork ; and if the straw in which it is packed 
be not thoroughly dry, the liquor will ac- 
quire a very unpleasant musty flavour. All 
preparations used for fining cyder are highly 
injurious to its quality : racking from the 
lees, into fresh vessels, after the fermen- 
