3 
34g 
A TREATISE 
pN THE 
CULTIVATION OF APPLE TREES, 
-.A-,,- - * • ... ; . ■- ■■ 
AND THE 
PREPARATION OF CIDER . 
# —-.- 
CHAPTER L 
4 general Idea of Cider-making—What Precautions are necessary — And, 
how to Preserve Fruit for the Table . 
The fundamental principles of making good cider, are to 
observe cleanliness in making it, to keep it in well-seasoned 
vessels, and to mix no water with it. There may be, how¬ 
ever, an exception to this last rule, when it is kept for the use 
of the family, and is to be consumed within the five or six first 
months of the year. Even in this case, it is proper not to use 
well or spring-water, as being too hard, and unable to incor¬ 
porate itself with the cider; rain and running water, or even 
that from a pond when it is clear, are the only sorts fit for that 
purpose. When one wishes it to pass the summer, or to be 
sent beyond the seas, it will be proper to observe the following 
precautions: ' ' > 
In the first place, we should take care, with a view of pre¬ 
serving the blossom for the ensuing year, to avoid the very 
common practice of beating about the boughs with a pole; 
by shaking them gently by means of an iron hook fixed to the 
end of it, the ripe fruit only will be detached from the tree 
without any thing being injured. 
The apples which are intended for cider, should be such as 
fall of their own accord, or which, on being shaken in the man¬ 
ner just mentioned, detach themselves easily'from the tree- 
They should then be gathered dry, and laid in separate heaps 
9f such varieties as suit each other, in a room having free ac- 
■■ ■ > ' . . cess 
