401 
other. With the view to avail myself of an opportunity that 
occurred to decide this point incontrovertibly, I ground the 
apples which had been set aside and thrown in a heap ever 
since the beginning of the season, and which emitted then an 
offensive smell. I extracted juice enough from them to fill 
seven barrels of fifteen gallons each, which I treated in the 
following manner : I put in the first barrel nine ounces of 
powdered charcoal, enclosed in a long slight linen bag ; in 
the second, seven; in the third, six; and in the fourth, 
five ; and reserved the latter three barrels as objects of future 
comparison. At the end of about a fortnight, the cider of the 
first barrel totally lost its bad taste. It was perceptible in 
the others, in a gradual progression, from the second to the 
fourth; in snch a manner, that there was still a sensible dif- * 
ference between this last and that which had been kept for 
comparison. 
The quantity of charcoal put in the first barrel, would 
amount to 2lb. 40Z. for each hogshead. But as ordinary cider 
differs considerably from that on which I made the above ex¬ 
periments, I think, that about a pound and a half would be 
sufficient. In other respects, I cannot foresee how a greater 
quantity could be hurtful. Charcoal, as it ha's just been 
shown, is analogous to that liquor. All ciders contain some 
tainted particles, as the fruit from which they are extracted 
is never from defects, whether these were contracted on the 
tree by the fall of the fruit, by its being removed from one 
place to another, or by any other circumstance whatever; 
and, therefore, I presume that charcoal can be serviceable to 
the best. Every vat-full requires fresh charcoal, as* by using 
the same a second time, I have observed that it had lost, in a 
great measure, its property of improving the cider. 
The charcoal must be used before the lime,Though not in 
such a manner, as that they should mix, as they neutralise 
each other. I have not perceived that charcoal had any effect 
on cider when lime had been previously used. 
It would be easy to conceive, according to received opi¬ 
nions, how cider, whose gas had been exhausted by the stronger 
fermentation, might derive some advantage from charcoal ; 
but it would be desirable to know, why that which is satu¬ 
rated with the former, is improved by the addition of the lat¬ 
ter. Perhaps the cause might be traced to the oxygen which 
it draws from the atmosphere during combustion. Be it how¬ 
ever as it may, the experiments 1 have just stated, place the 
propriety of using it beyond a doubt. 
D d 
WORCESTERSHIRE.3 
CHAPTER 
