The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-10-11
now 10 Make the best Cld.r.

lDe Dung hole, and set in the shade
somewhere, makes first sweet cider,
then cider, next hard cider. and final. Y
vinegar, without much care. When,
however, the juice Of ripe. rich apples
free from decay, leaves, dirt and water,
is strained into clean barrels, set in u
cool cellar, and rakcd off when the fer.
mentation has nearly ceased, and the
cider is nearly clear, very different
article is produced having a fragrance
and purity entirely wanted in the com
mon article. The slight vinegar taste
OF bard cider is entirely wanting, and
the ."hardJess" is OF the same quality
as the dryncss Of the acid of dry wines.
Cider thus made is very properly call
ed by our German friends. Apfel VEN.
1t is a mistake to suppose that early
autum apples will not make good ci-
der, for that Of some varieties is re.
markably high-toned. 1t is seldom
perhaps that there is enough Of these
early apples TO make large quantity
Of cider, and this probably is the reason
why they are neglected and on ac-
count Of the neglect, the stigma at :
taches to them that they are good for
nothihg.
A hand press is an exceedingly con-
vcnicnt thiTg upon farm, particularly
such an one as may Be psed equally
well for apples, pears, currants, black
berries and grapes and by it great
deal of fruit may be made valuable,
which would btherSise be lost. One
mill will answer for grinding apples
tor several presses.
, Though the cider made from q mix
ture of several Kinds Of apples is very
good, if well made, it is much better, il
practible, to keep the inice Of different
apples separate. In this case, the del
icatc and distinctive favors of the
fruits are retained very agreeably in
the cider. .. .....
The most scrupulous cleanliness
must obtain from first TO last. First,
the barrels into which the cider is to be
placed must be thoroughly washed out,
and fumigated with sulphur, which is
done, after preparing strips of cotton.
cloth by dipping them in melted sui
pher, by setting thcin on fire, putting
them into the the still moist barrel, and
bunging it Up so that the suIphured rag
shall be held by the bung. Tie mill
and press, tubs, funnel and dippcrs be.
ing also we'll cleansed, the apples arc
looked over, decayed ones thrown out
the dirt rubbed off, and they arc then
ground to fine pulp. Il 81
The common way OF laying up q
cheese with wet straw has several dis.
advantages particularly the necessary
use Of water to wet the straw, which is
equivalent to an addition of water to
the Juice. The small presses alluded1o,
which work without straw, yield q
better article of cider To judge of the
quality Of cider an apple will make, il
is best to try an experiment grinding
a small quantity, letting the pomact
stand halfa day, stir it occasionly, ant
then pressing it, The difference in tht
color and richness of flavor, and o
sweetness, is quite remarkable. Sweet
apples, though containing more sugar
are often watery and deficient in flavor
while many sub-acid, or even sour ap.
pies, contain as much sugar, and make
much richer cider. The juice, when
first pressed, should be- sirupy, cleaT
and the darker cOlored the better. Ap
pies vary, also, greatly in the quantity
Of cider they will make OF man,
kinds, of no more than eight bushel
will make a barrel of cider, while o
some of the richer, finer kinds, it vii
take twelve bushels or more.
1t is poor policy to grind and pres
at once. A bruised apple gains il
sweetness, by some chemiclc change
which takes place-and SO the pomac'
should lie several hours to sweeten II
this way and besides, it should b.
stirred up occasionally to let the air &c
to it, so as to impart better color
The dark-red color is very desirable
and can not be gained in any Other
way, and at the same time there is :
positive gain in sweetness and richnes,
of the cider.
AS the juice runs from the press, i
is best received directly into barrels
flowing through straw strainer Tht
strainer is easily made by putting !
wooden tube through the bottom OF ,
pail, which makes a funnel, and ther
stuffing the pail full of clean, swee
straw. Almost all the particles of ap
Piles, flies, &C., will be strained out, anc
clear liquid alone will pass through
The barrels, large or small, arc filled
full, bunged up, and moved to a coo
cellar, where the bungs are removed
and the cider left 10 fermeht.
The fermentation goes on quite rap
idly, and a considerable portion OF scum
overhows and is thus removed. Whel
the active fermentation and fothin.
cease and the bubbles crackle as they
rise to tho surface and break, the bung
hole should be closed by u large cork
through which glass or leadcn tube
bent twice at right angles, is thrust
which rises from the hung and dips be
low water in some convenient, smal
vessel, through which tube this gas vii
escape, but air cannot enter, Whel
the fermentation is over, and no NOR
bubbfing at the end of this tube occurs
and the cider is clear, draw it off int
clean, fumigated barrels, bung up tight
and keep in the coolest place. e.-Amert
can AgriculturiSt
Seventeen deserters from Maximil