Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1891-08-29
THE MAKING OF CIDER.
BYGoNE DAYS or THE STONE
TROUGH AND ROLLER.
Methods OF the Massachusetts, Farmer Of q
Hundred Years Aso--Primitive Press and
the "Cheese '--wooden Cylinders for
Grinding Modern Inventions.

the "Cheese "--wooden Cylinders for
Grinding Modern Inventions.
There are some interesting facts in con.
nection with the cider industry OF the
state which at the opening Of the present
century was u primitive business among
the farmers The fruit OF which the
cider was made at that time was the wild,
natural apples. mostly sour and deficient
OF flavor. The cider was q harsh, sour
drink, even us IL ran from the press. The
cider drink"rof those DAYS lived to great
age. As time went on. grating was dis.
covered; then many Of the wild trees were
grated TO more palaiable fruit, and later
on budding came into use. Then an ex-
pericnced budder could change hundreds
of small nursery seedlings in one day 10
any desirable variety. AZ this day. there
are not more than ten or dozen varieties
of apples with which 1t il advisable to
plan; an orchard. Those choice varieties
are choice because they possess the re.
quistes for success TO the planter: namely,
quality, productiveness. vigor. growth
and color pleasing TO the eye of the con
sumner.
THE OLD FASHIONED MILL.
Here is a description of cider mill OF a
well TO do farmer 100 years ago; The first
thing was n circular stone trough about
80 feet in diameter. The inside stones.
which were set up edgcwise, were about
Is inches In height. and the outside
stones were feet in height. The space
between the stones was filled with clay.
pounded in hard To prevent leaking. The
width Of the bottom of the trench was
about - inches. A post was set in the
NJ 4 lao, .si,. l.N
extended a shaft of wood. which served
as the axis of n stone cylinder made TO
turn in the circular trough This cylin.
der was lSet long and about inches in
diameter. Al ~ end of the shaft, ont.
side the trench. \,rse was hitched The
animal, by walking around the stone,
jammed under the cylinder the apples
that were placed In the trough. A man
or smart boy had his hands full to keep
the horse going and TO poke the apples
under the stone. as they had n tendency
to slide up the sides Of the circular
trough. In six hours horse and man
could mash about thirty bushels Of ap-
pies il the horse did not get the blind
staggcrs from walking in so small circle.
After the grinding the finest portion Of
the pomace was shovclcd into tub and
Slid on two timbers TO the press. A thick
layer of straw was laid on the bottom OF
the press, with the ends reaching over a
frame the size of the intended cheese.
They layer Of mashed apple was laid on,
and the straw was bent over the edge OF
the layer OF apples. the form lifted up,
then layer Of straw aud SO on until the
cheese was at the desired height The
press was outdoors. with "a roof over the
top. The press was set high enough above
the ground 10 allow tub to be set under
the vat to receive the juice.
"PIGGIN" AID sTRAISER.
The juice was bailed from the tub by a
vessel called a Figgin," u wooden meas
ure like peek measure of today, with u
wooden handle attached The straincf
and funnel consisted OF a bucket of about
two gallons capacity, with u wooden tube
fastened on the bottom TO place In the
bunghuc That bucket was filled with
straw for strainer
After six II eight hours Of pressing the
cheese would bc quite compact; then the
screws we're ri cd and It's sides Of the
cheese were cut down with broadax
Two or three buckets u water were then
poured upon the cheese. and then the
screws were furscd Gown for all they
wuuld stand. The result Of all labor was
about two sd oae-hGlf gallons Of juice
from bust! OF cp9lcg, and, being ex
posed - I-;.c,l E.d - long u tho atmos
pier. was os!-!--l - :. dark brown color
which WIS G39osed ut tn=J time land is
today b. sol- people, - 10 tne only cri'
terion OF It's quality,
After Ia -. On ag2" of making cider
wooden cylinders, twp feet In length and
on In diamete:, were used. These stood
eadwise, VITA futed edges, each flutt
fitted into the other with sweep ON tn,
top. Tho cylinders were driven by hors,
power, and tls horse walked in circle u
70 feet Each time he Travelled co feet tn,
"nuts, rs they were called. revOlvet
onc3 around. The mashed cgYles adhere,
10 them 80 tagt . per-C2 had 10 scrap,
the peInace from the revolving nuts op
posi,e the hopper.
About 1850 u Salem man invented
higl speed CRATER To lie horizontally an,
rcvolvc at speed of LOCO revolution
per minute. II wcs about one foot II
length and the sane "a diameter. Tha
did away with scrGping OF the pomace
The bar ON the tC2 of tho cylinder hel,
the apples irC.l crOwci.g. That con
triyance would E-ird sixty bushels il
about three hours i. tGc LSr was set 70
tine WEEK..
LATER INVENTIONS.
Aleu-. tAiJ tire ion screws carle int
ilse sr! took the Pace Of tho woodel
e pcs, ard suon 4. ,che;s were attached L
theEi. BY this method g cheese put ol
Ike press il the morning wculd DO read
to Iilrog on the next morning. providing
i've or siS hours wero spout by two mel
pulling on tho screws.
las.t tH L.,
gan to be invented, first screw. thel
knuckle juinted. similar to franklin
printing press. They required great car
10 prevent the cheese f-Sm sliding
with those presses came the cloths an,
frames. The cloths ere called cider cloths
Incy arc three threaded and twisted YER
hard, with the desired space between cacl
thread. Frames Of lattice work were use
between each cloth holding the pomace
and they were about four inches apart
After the pressure was taken ots the laye
of pomnce was about one inch in thickness
In 1855 four screw press wcs inycnte'
with three speeds up aud the same dow
h@t wo;ild Gg..in cheese III thirty min
utes. The cylinders are intended TO max
.,.tU revolutions per minute. At tha
speed Il Will "scra.e" leo bushels iu thirt
minutes.
The Improved mills lr present tim
arc too costly furihc a-e farmer {
own. Unly those near :; ,4. population
end wlio arc able - buy les of thci
ueighhors EN- aLCrl ~ maintain plan
to N,orl, tWo I3untiH U TX. wear and
idle ten L.outAs - ls,atun Globe
/ III serving; Vegetables.
/ Wife lat breakfast NY dear. will 80
/ have some murr ~ tho stewed potut,jts