The sun., 1894-10-14
THE SEASON OF APPLE BUTTER.
A. Old New England DeIicacy that 10 SIN
Made n Pennsylvania.

New HOLLAND, Pa, Oct. 13.-Lnte in autumn,
when good cider is brewed from the sour winter
apples. the Pennsylvania farmers and their
neighbors and families assemble and have a
grand frolc in making the years supply OF one
of the most delicious articles OF diet ever manu-
featured on farm. Apple butter cannot be
purchased in the city markets, and 1t is only In
certain parts of the country that the practice OF
making 1t is kept up. Formerly when fat pork
was the chief meat diet OF the farmers apple
butter was almost an essential article OF diet to
help digestion, and our forefathers through
out the Eastern States laid in their
stock OF apple butter just relig-
iousy they did their winter supply
of dried apples and beans. But tho cheapenng
of beef aud other meats through the opening up
of the West has made the farmers meat diet
more varied, and the need OF apple butter has
consequently lessened, and its manufacture
fallen into neglect.
Many farmers OF the Keystone State. however.
cling to the old practice, and one must go among
them I'm the fall of the year to see and taste the
finest favored apple butter produced In the
world. The good housewives OF the old Penn
sylvania farms will sometimes give the Wis
itor glimpse OF apple butter made by their
mothers twenty and thirty years ago. Stored in
stone crooks in the garret or any dry room. the
butter will keep half lifetime, improving, as
some think, with age.
Making apple butter is generally an occasion
for much fun and jollity. Like the almost
extinct husking bee, quilting party. and apple
pairing assembly, the gathering is celebrated in
ways other than hard work. Although there is
good deal of the latter, the season is one for
grand frolic for the young people. Very often
neghbOrs join and make apple butter together,
and the results OF the operation are divided pro-
portionately among those participating
Appie-butter day Is q long one. Operations
must h begin early, and after the work Is finished
before daylight the great copper kettles secured
out with vinegar and salt, and then hung on an
OF wood las been piled. The kettle Is large
clumsy affair often holding more than barrel
tion. \ few feet from the fire a temporary plat
form is constructed where the stirrer can stand
and watch the boiling contents OF the kettle,
His implement for stirring is often ten feet and
more in length. At the critical time the con-
tents Of the kettle must be stirred continuously
The tiEst step in the operations is to fill the big
Kettle with sweet cider made the day before. and
start blazing ire under the crane. This cider has
20 boil until IL Is reduced TO about half its bulk.
Wagon loads OF apples are brought TO the place,
and The whole morning ls spent in pairing these
Ing mschines have been Introduced the work
peelers are required as formerly Great guam
Titles OF apples are pared cored, and quartered.
they are dropped into the kettle very carefully
and gradually The stirrer at this period has to
ul5 Dekln operations lmine-
diatey The apples are apt To burn on the
the line flavor OF the butter would be
lost. Generaly the stirring Is kept up from
noon until 10 o'clock at night, and several
strong men are required in the course OF the day
To handle the enormous implement used for this
purpose. After an hour on the platform "A man
Is apt TO nnd his muscles aching. As the boil
ing continues and more App.es are poured in,
the contents become thicker, and the stirring
much more dificult. BY night the work is ex-
tremely eHhaustng But 4 must be Kept up
until the contents of the Kettle are reduced 10
considerably less than half. Then the apple
butter becomes ysCid, dark -cOlored mass. At
this Stage OF the operations the testing must be
made frequently. The sure test il said 20 he
when the butter is placed O;l a plate and no
cider separates from Il In the process OF cooling
late supper 10 usually supplied. and the but
ter Is spread over bread. cake. meat, and even
pancakes, 70 test its quality under various con
ditions. The butter is stored In earthsn stone
ware crooks, and over the top Of each cover
Of brown paper II tied.
some sweeten the apple butter il made from
sour apples, but the old-fsshiOned way is 10 use
sour apple cider and sweet apples for cook
ing. The combination makes most excel
lent natural favored butter. some people sea-
son the butter to suit the taste, but unless
very fond 81 highly spiCed goods most people
would prefer the natural taste
Of late years pears have been used instead
OF apples, and pear butter is becoming quite
popular Another way is TO use half leaIs and
half apples. or boil down apple cider and put IN
peeled or quaTtered pears. Pear butter Is not
80 rich and appstizing as apple butter. Some
farmers add Few ounces TO give favor 10 the
butter, but guinces do not make good butter
when used AlOns.