INTRODUCTION. 
• 1 » 
About the middle of the fifteenth century, ,cider began to 
be an object of rural economy in this island. Before that pe¬ 
riod, mead was the common drink of the inhabitants. Till 
then, they were unacquainted with, the use of spirituous li¬ 
quors. According to Camden* the Jerseymen of his time had 
no need of physicians; that temperate and frugal race was 
seldom exposed to any disorders except agues, which some¬ 
times attacked them about the end of autumn. Wine, which 
our foreign trade has made so plentiful, and which now extends 
to the lowest clashes of society, was almost entirely confined 
to the communions of the church. 
We may presume that it was the example of the Normans, 
which suggested to our islanders the idea of cultivating the 
apple tree, and of extracting from its fruit a liquor equally 
agreeable and nutritious. By the beginning of the fourteenth 
century, the former had already transplanted it into their own 
country, from the province of Biscay, where it grows spon¬ 
taneously, and often produces without grafting, valuable varie¬ 
ties. (Rozier, tome iii. page 342.) 
If the introduction of it into this island was so long delayed, 
we must attribute it to the difficulty of overcoming old preju¬ 
dices, and to the circumspection of individuals, who wished to 
ascertain, by the experiments of many years, the probability 
Of its success, before they ventured to cultivate it on a large 
scale. But our cider is now our principal produce.* After 3 
* The exportation of qider from this island to England, Ireland, and 
Newfoundland, according to the official registers, amounted, in 1803, to 
1919 hogsheads. Insurmountable difficulties have prevented the author 
from carrying his researches farther back. Two reasons did, no doubt, con¬ 
tribute to diminish it that year; the former, the great number of strangers, 
who, on the conclusion of peace with France, having come over, had in¬ 
creased the consumption of all kinds of provisions ; and the latter, the re¬ 
newal of the war, which, during more than half that term, injured the 
markets. 
The exportation of cider 
\ 1806 3 ofAug * £ 
r 1294 hogsheads, 
rose to< 3227 
13754 
These may be valued* at one with another, at 30s. a hogshead, so that 
.< i moderate 
