The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1882-09-07
Making Cider.

| Cider is something that costs but very little
| where orchards are large and fruit plentiful. as
| in its manufacture may be used much fruit that
| is unstable. The best apples pay better when
baTrelcd aud sent off, but there are many old
| Seeding trees that produce nothing lit for eat
| ing, but whose fruit makes good cider. The
| crab apples are the best for cider, and in some
sections used for this purpose entirely.
While il is not necessary to Use the best apples,
We: good, sound, ripe ones only ShOuld he used
| They should be carefully assorted, wiped clean
and dry, aud every unsound one discarded. The
| old method of preparing a bulky press in the
| orchard To be left standing until next season,
| shOuld be done away with, for we now have
crushers aud presses that do the work in a
| cleaner, better and more economical manner
| their cost being small compared with their eff
| fectiveness. As full directions for making
cider accompany them, it is unnecessary to go
| into details, but it is not every one who knows
| how to keep cider for any length of time. In
order to do this the cider should be strained Into
clean barrels, and Immediately placed under
shelter. Ii shOuld ferment until ready for stOr-
| ing away, if il is desired to be a little "hari"
but if preferred sweet it should not feTment. To
prevent fermentation at any time, first place the
cider in a barrel from which a stave of the head
has been removed, being taken to leave
space of abOnt ten inches between the top and
the cider. Now place on the cider deep block
Of wool which Ofcourse floats, and on this place
n half pound of sulphur Set fire to II, close mp
tightly as sooH as sure the sulphur is burning,
and leave it closed for an hour. Rrprat this
several times during the day, 10y igniting the
unburnt sulphur, an:l when the process is over
put the cider in the barrel intended for il. Now
fill the barrel with more cider. and treat in the
same manner. filing nearly full the barrel pre-
vinlSiy used. The operation is this: Sulpuur~
ons acid gas j. formed. which the cider ab>uriiS
This gas INSTANTLY arrests all fermentation aud
destroys fungus, the consequence helm. GOOD,
sweet article for an almC>t indefinite time. The
sulphur gas is perfectly harmless, and iRiparts
no unpleasant TASTE. To make apple butter the
cider shpuid he used a. it cones directly from
tn" press, as the swrctrr the better, aud pnrre-
lam lined pots are best, lS brass and iron often
cause metallic precipitation from the union Of
the acid Of the cider (maic) with the metal.
This is partially avoided when the cider Is very
fresh, yet there Is danger at all times. Expos
urc 20 the air allows cider to absorb oxygen and
we have vinegar After while the vinegar
will lac changed Icy the oxygen into caIbonic acid
aud water, which is a return to its primitive
condition before entering the apple. All The
acids of fruits whether taTtarc, citric. malic,
finally transformed into caTbonic acid and
the decomposition Of cider is Only the progress
of changes that are ever taking place among the
expressed juices Of hlackberries, cuTTants and
even the vegetables. Sugar added to cider
strengthens il in alcohol by addingmoTe carbon
Cider is healthy drink when not used in
excess.