Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-11-07
M | S C L L L A N Y.
ABOUT CIDER-MAKING

the first of September to the first of December,
the cider presses Of our farmers are constantly
in demand, and at this season of the year it may
not be undressing TO our readers TO learn the
different processes by which the ruddy burden
of thousand orchards is converted into the
sparkling beverage which forms such pleasant
accompaniment of winter night.
The ceremony of apple gathering is an ex-
ample Of the facility with which our American
farmers turn their work into pastime. They get
up }" bees" on every conceivable occasion, and
believe religiously that" many hands make light
work" On the day appointed for gathering in
the apples the neighbors all come from far and
wide, TO lend helping hand. 1t is source of
no small interest to watch the different groups
collect in the orchards. The men are generally
fully prepared for business, minus their coats,
and protected from the suns rays by coarse straw
hats-the women come in sun-bonnes, with
baskets hanging on their arms, and the children
flock in. armed with every utensil in which APP
pies can be deposited. Business then commences
IN GOOD earnest-he bags, baskets, boxes, aud
pans are all tributaries to the wagons and carts
which carry the loads to the barn, and the work
Of stripping progresses brskly.
There are great many quiet little under-cur-
rents, however, beneath all this industry and ap-
plcation. People collect together in small con-
genial groups and discuss the affairs of the neigh
horhood, as they work-children vary the pro-
granme by lmpromptu frocs and by plenti
full use of their masticating organs, and the
"voung folks conirve to gather in sentiment
and romance faster than they pick up apples.
MANY a time have we seen shy hirtatiOns carr-
ed on under the protecting shadow of some gnar-
ed old apple tree, and in the convenient corners
Of sunny orchards, where the young heads are
oftenlimes in such close neighborhood over half
filed baskets, all unconscious of the obllque
chances and merry winks directed towards them,
that they start and blush like gully things when
ronnd-cheeked apple comes plump down upon
them as if the old tree itself were minded
have joke at their expense Apple gather
ing is a merry time for AL the population be-
tween the ages of sixteen and twenty-five
Among all country places this annual onslaught
upon The orchards creates general jubilee, and
we know of no more agreeable picture on bright
October afternoon thar the slope of hill all
dotted with these busy groups, engaged, in gath
ering up the abundant shower Of ripe apples, un-
der the tw isted old trees.
They are then carried, some in wagons and
wheellarrows, and some in sacks and baskets, to
be deposited on the spacious and cleanly-swepl
floor Of harm, somewhere in the vicinity, where
every shade of red and russell and gold is blend
ed together, until the whole gathering is com
plete. 1t is usually the occupation OF one man
to receive and pile them in this store place, from
which they are caited off 10 the nearest cider
mill.
These huge presses are very important lnst-
tutions during the cider season, and are constant
" beset with applicants for their use. They
generally adhere to he good old rule Of +" first
come, first served" however, and the farmer
must engage the mill for day 80, several
weeks before he is ready for the cider-making,
if he homes to secure a chance
The apples are now put into the MILL where
they are crushed by the action of large wheel,
turned by horsepower. The pumicc," as this
crushed matter is called descends through a
wooden trough into box or bin below, from
which it is taken out in baskets and disposed in
a square pile 10 undergo the screwing" pro-
cess.
This heap of" pumice" is constructed with
alternate lnyers Of straw and crushed apples,
and when the pile is sufficiently high, the wide,
flat board s lowered along grooves ON either
side OF the upright wooden beams, and screwed
tight by means of a long lever. The cider now
flows freely and after having been subjected to
this pressure for a sufficient length of time the
press is unscrewed the edges Of the "pumice'
are pared off and thrown on the top, and the
pressure is again put on.
This process is repeated several times, and e.
nally the whole pile is disturbed, and made up
for The /" last squeeze" until no more juice can
possibly be expressed. The base OF this press
is provided with ledge which has a mouth in
front, out of which the juice flows into a vessel
placed underneath From this receptacle it il
drawn of into the usual casks and barrels, t.
await fermentation.
AS a general thing, apples of all havors ant
all degrees o. acidity are thrown ndscriminate
ly into the press, but for some purposes onl,
sweet apples are used. In Pennsylvania where
apple butter" is manufactured IN great guam
titles among the German farmers, sweet apple,
are much in demand, as their juice alone is o
use in this popular compound. Every farmer
throughout the whole country expects to have
at least one barrel, il not more, Of cider mad,
from sweet apples exclusively, for household pur
poses.
The cider mill is universal haunt for youns
and old while these operations are gong on. |
is an interesting and novel sight to those who
are not versed IN the details of country life, tC
watch the curious process by WHICH this rud,
and primitive machinery converts the shapees
masses of "pumice" into descending torren
of transparent liquid, and the simple yet thor
ough continuance by which the bundles of clean
yellow straw become sleeves, through which tn,
cider is thoroughly strained at every descent o
the screw; and to the rising generation il
particular the achievements of the cider-ml ar
fascinating are marvellous in the highes, degree
They watch thr heaps of shin,g apples, roun,
and juicy and golden, as they are thrown il
above, and stand by with brea,hlcss interest a
they pass through the intermediate state Of u
ice, aud become at length bona fde CIDER.
And when at length the sweet, fresh liquid
placed in the multitude of casks and tubs i
which they are to rema fur a temporary spac,
it is the signal for a universal descent thereupo
on the part OF these young Cossacks. They al
privileged persons, however, for the time benI
and no one dreams Of interfering with their az
knowledsed rights in this matter. They al