92 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
swers the purpose well. The mill which most effectually reduces 
the pulp is to be preferred. It has been remarked with much 
force, that cider mills should, like school-houses, be limited to 
one in a district. In this way, it would be an object with the 
owner, to render his implements complete, and to conduct the 
process with care and skill. And as the value of the cider depends 
so much upon its being well made, it is believed the owners of the 
fruit, as well as the purchasers of the cider, would be benefitted 
by such an arrangement. 
5. Vinous fermentation. —This is commonly called working. 
It commences at the temperature of 59° Fah. and cannot be con¬ 
ducted in safety when the heat is over 75°, for a high temperature 
induces a too rapid fermentation, by which much of the spirit 
passes off with the disengaged carbonic acid gas, and the acetous 
or vinegar fermentation begins at 77°. This will show the impor¬ 
tance of conducting the vinous fermentation under a proper tem¬ 
perature, which is from 50 to 70° of Fah. To show the chemical 
effect of the vinous fermentation it will be proper to repeat, that 
the unfermented juice, or must, of the apple, consists of saccha¬ 
rine matter or sugar, vegetable mucilage or extract; astringency 
or tannin; malic, and a small matter of gallic acid, the principle 
of flavor, tinging or colouring matter, and water. The sugar be¬ 
comes the basis, or spirit, of the fermented liquor ; the spirit, after 
vinous fermentation, and the tannin, or astringent matter, preserve 
it from the acetous fermentation, if the vegetable mucilage or 
east, is separated when it has performed its office. This vegeta- 
le mucilage acts upon the saccharine matter in a manner anala- 
gous to yeast upon the wort of the brewer—it causes fermentation, 
and converts sugar into spirits—by its giving off carbonic acid 
gas, and imbibing hydrogen—the liquor becomes clear, and part 
of the mucilage rises to the surface with the disengaged air, in 
the form of froth, and the residue is precipitated, with the heavier 
impurities, to the bottom, in the form of sediment or lees. This 
is the critical period. The liquor may now be drawn oft' clear. If 
left longer, the feculent matter, or froth, by parting with the gas 
which renders it buoyant, soon settles and mixes with the liquor, 
renders it turbid, and as soon as the temperature attains a proper 
height, causes a new fermentation. This will explain the reason 
why ciders become harsh and sour on the approach of warm wea¬ 
ther in the spring. The elementary principles of sugar, ardent 
spirits and vinegar, it has been ascertained by the experiments of 
Lavoisier, are the same ; and these substances only differ in the 
proportion of their component parts, and in the modes of their che¬ 
mical union. Sugar consists of hydrogen, oxygen and carbon. 
An increased proportion of hydrogen enters into the composition 
of ardent spirits, and of oxygen into vinegar. The same agent, 
vegetable mucilage, which converts the sugar of tlie apple into 
spirits, will convert the spirits into vinegar, under a proper tem¬ 
perature, and aided by the oxygen of the atmosphere. The pro¬ 
cess of making vinegar is greatly accelerated by exposing cider 
or wine to the atmosphere, the oxygen of which it imbibes, and 
which is termed by chemists, the great acidifying principle. 
Here again we see the propriety of professional cider manufactur¬ 
ers, who might be provided with cellars where the temperature 
could be regulated, and who would carefully rack off the liquor 
at the completion of the vinous fermentation. 
The vinous fermentation commences and terminates at different 
periods, according to the condition and quality of the fruit, and 
the state of the weather. The juice of unripe fruit, if the weather 
be warm, will begin to ferment in a few hours after it passes from 
the press ; and seldom stops at the vinous stage. The juice of ripe 
fruit, when the temperature is lower does not begin to ferment un¬ 
der a week or fortnight, or longer, often continues slowly through 
the winter, and when made from some of the finer cider apples, 
is not completed under six or nine months. Indeed, in some cases 
the liquor does not become clear under a year, and the sugar is 
not wholly decomposed under two years : For the whole of the 
sugar is seldom decomposed during the first sensible fermentation. 
Knight considers cider at two years old as in the best state for 
bottling. For until the sugar is decomposed, fermentation insen¬ 
sibly goes on, and the strength of the liquor increases. The like 
insensible process goes on in wines, and when it is completed, 
the wines are said to be ripe, and are in their highest state of per¬ 
fection. (See McCulloch.) Temperature being the same we 
think it may be assumed as a rule, that fermentation will be rapid 
and short, in an inverse ratio to the proportion which the saccha¬ 
rine matter bears to the mucilage and water; and that the vinous 
liquor will be rich, high flavored and durable, in proportion as 
the sugar and astringency preponderate in the must. 
6. Precautions to prevent acetous fermentation. —These are, 
supposing the previous contingencies to have been favorable, a 
careful separation of the vinous liquor from the froth and lees,— 
a cool temperature,—racking and fining,—and artificial means to 
destroy the fermenting quality of the remaining mucilage. 
We have already suggested the importance of drawing off the 
liquor from the scum and sediment—at the termination of the vi¬ 
nous fermentation. This period may be known by the cracking" 
of the froth in an open cask, or, if in a close one, by the applica¬ 
tion of the nose or ear to the bung hole. If the fermentation has 
not ceased, a hissing will be apparent, and the gas given off will 
give a pungent sensation to the nose. If the liquor is not suffici¬ 
ently clear, or indications appear of the acetous fermentation hav¬ 
ing commenced, the cider should be racked into clean strong 
casks, and fined with isinglass, eggs, or skimmed milk. This 
operation may be repeated if found necessary; but it should be 
performed in clear cold weather. After the first racking, the 
casks should be kept bunged close, and further rackings be avoid¬ 
ed if possible, as every racking reduces its strength, and much of 
the spirit escapes with the caboiiic acid gas which is evolved in 
the fermentive process. The oxygen of the atmosphere, besides, 
increases the vinegar fermentation. But if these methods fail, re¬ 
sort may be had to the means of impeding the natural operation of 
the mucilage, or vegetable leaven. This may be done by what is 
called stumming, that is burning a rag impregnated with sulphur, 
in the cask in which the liquor is to be decanted, after it has been 
partly filled, and rolling it so as to incorporate the liquid with the 
gas; or by putting a drachm or two of sulphate of potash into each 
cask, which will precipitate and render insoluble the remaining 
leaven. If the fruit is good, and properly ground, and the cider 
racked from the fermenting casks at a proper time, most or all of 
the subsequent operations will be superseded. 
The vinous fermentation is here considered as embracing the 
whole process till the sugar is converted into spirit. This may be 
subdivided : the production of sugar being termed the vinous, and 
the conversion of sugar into spirit, the spirituous fermentation. 
NEW AMERICAN ORCHARDIST. 
The second edition of Keskick’s New American Orchadist , 
has been just issued from the Boston press, revised and conside ¬ 
rably enlarged, by the author. The additional matter embraces 
a chapter on climate, one on modern or landscape gardens, one on 
usefulness of fruits for food and health, a practical treatise on 
mulberry plantations and the culture oj silk, and a compendious 
notice of the whole class of useful vegetables. The letter pres,s is 
neatly executed, in a 12mo. size, pp. 420—price $1. 
Our county is comparatively yet in its infancy in horticultural 
improvement, and particularly in that branch of it which regards 
the selection and cultivation of choice fruits. Most of our people 
are not only ignorant of the relative value of good and bad fruits, 
but are perfectly indifferent what kinds they cultivate, and too 
many of them care not whether they cultivate any at all. We con¬ 
sider the free use of the finer cultivated varieties as among the 
higher and most innocent indulgences of the appetite ; and as not 
only increasing our animal comforts, but as imparting health to 
the body, and benignity to the mind. We therefore hail with 
pleasure whatever has a tendency to diffuse a taste for these rural 
enjoyments, and to instruct us in the selection and culture of those 
fruits which Providence has bountifully provided for our use. Al¬ 
though we by no means consider the work before us as perfect, it is 
perhaps as perfect as the present state of pomological knowledge 
amongus would permit us to expect,and is certainly a valuable guide 
and assistant in the management of the orchard and garden. The 
author is among our most promising young men. He possesses a 
discriminating mind, honest intentions and indefatigable industry ; 
and promises, if his life and faculties are spared, to become eminent¬ 
ly distinguished in this branch of rural improvement. He has been 
aided in this work by many of the most experienced pomologists 
of our country, and has profited much from the perusal of modern 
European works upon the subject on which he writes. We know 
of no American better qualified for the task than Mr. K. 
The opinion is too prevalent, that fruits are prejudicial to the 
health. This may be true with certain qualifications. Fruits that 
