Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-01-17
WANT A NEW APPLE.
Growers In Maine Trying to Pro-
duce Snowy Fruit.
History of One Variety That Made
Same-The cider season and
the Awful Effects of the
Hard stun,

year, to 2,000,000 TO 1900 900 bushels
In an off year. Millions Of dollars have
been spent in trying 10 induce the
trees 10 give a uniform yield every
year SO that the fluctuations from
80 cents barrel in good years TO two
and four dollars a barrel in off years
would no longer disturb the prosperity
of the community, but no one has
made any Roadway toward success,
says the New York Sun.
For the past ten years most of the
orchardists have been trying to de-
velop new varieties of fruit that will
look well and stand shipment TO Lon
don and Liverpool markets, where
there is quick demand for American
apples at fancy prices. The call is
loudest for large, snowy, high-col-
ored apple that is hard grained and
able to stand deal of.rough knocking
about without showing signs of bodi-
" harm. These apples should be good
keepers and beautiful TO look at, but
their eating and cooking qualities may
De Of the worst without detraeting
from their value. the English pur-
chaser seeming to make his selection
with his eyes alone.
Twenty years ago Peter Gideon, Of
Minneapolis, sent TO Maine for seions
and seeds of hardy apples, writing that
he had spent fortune and most of
his life trying to grow fruit in Min
nesota. A bundle of scions from Ban
COR orchards and few quarts OF seeds,
some Of which were from the native
cherry crab. were forwarded to his
address Nothing was heard from
him for four or five years. Then the
newspapers began TO tell OF wonder
ful new and hardy seeding which Mr.
Gideon had produced from crab
iced grown in Bangor According 10
he circulars this new apple. which
was named the Wealthy would live
Ia a climate where a willow would
freeze to death and would continue
10 bear year after year without va
eation in a century. Later trials have
verified many OF these assertions. The
Wealthy has driven the apple growing
belt 50 miles further north, all across
the United States, and has converted
thousands OF acres OF worthless stony
land into productive orchards; but as
the fruit ripens early and decays in
few weeks, IL is worthless for the mar
ket and no additional revenues were
derived from the discovery, though
more cider was made than ever before.
and the Wealthy apple was roundly
denounced in hundreds of meetings
as the greatest curse that ever in
vaded a temperance community. At
present the Maine orchardist is vexed
sith too many kinds Of apples that
r;pen and rot in September, and he is
still looking for thrifty, fine-grained
and good favored kind that viii bear
every year and win keep until late
In the spring. The man who will dis
cover such an apple can earn for
tune and the lasting gratitude OF an
expectant public
Cider making begins with the first
windfalls early in September. The
drst pressing from the apple pulp
is drawn off into barrels to be sold as
.weet cider in the city markets as
long as il remains true TO name, the
remainder TO be left in barrels with
wire gauze over the bungholes, where
the air makes 1t over into hard cider
Very little cider of the first press
ing finds its way TO the vinegar bar
rel. for while a family can buy vim
egar or go without. no one can con-
template the approach of cold wealth
er with cheerfulness unless he has
laid in large stock of hard cider.
In addition to the natural way OF
hardening cider there are several APP
proved methods of intensifying and
Fastening the process. The one most
in vogue is to boil the cider until il
Is reduced to one-half of its original
bulk. A larger or smaller quantity
OF new rum or alcohol. the amount
varying according to the means and
taste of the maker. Is then added to
the boiled product so it may keep
and the mixture is put away in safe
storage. When this kind of hard |
cider contains enough alcohol It can
be used at any time. and is warranted
10 do good execution If taken in suffi-
rient quantity.
The Oldest. and all things consid-
cred the best. way to make hard cider
IS to fill a barrel from press and
put it in a cold outbuilding, where
The frost of winter will work in from
the outside and freeze all the con-
tents except small core OF nearly
pure alcohol in the center of the cask.
When distinguished callers come Wis
ting or when cider is needed for some
yreat emergency a bit is bored
the cask and the she'll of ice
until the middle of the barrel is
reached, when the precious fluid IS
lrawn forth and mixed with hot rum
md is ready for use. Men who are
lot familiar with the variety of cider
will be wise IL they partake sparing-
. ssff ri