New-York tribune., 1902-01-29
CIDER AND CIDER DRINKING.
HOW APPLE T1-ICE HAS DECLINED IN
POPULAR FAvOR-SPECIFIC FOR
MANY ILLS IN OLD TIMES

Rochester IAN. 7s fSpecian.-FIas cider as a
beverage sunk into desuetude. even IN the LAND
cf its birth. the country Has the prevalence OF
beer and ale and cheap domestic wines driven out
-he luscious Juice of the applet The farmers are
,er,rnire 70 whisper as much. About the only
use IL is put they declare. Is the making
of vinegar. Yet the older generation. especially
those who spent their early days in the lanes ana
fields Of the countryside will tell one that for the
lesser ills 10 which the flesh is heir nothing can
equal the tonic and invgorating qualities of cider
pressed by hand from selected apples and stored
away in great clean barrels or earthen"are jugs
10 "ripen' against the winters cold and snow
One who was brought up cider in his country
home heard of these rumors, and in a spirit Of
scepticism made inquiries among he restaurants
end wholesale nouor houses in this CITY, "hlch
lies almost in the heart of the great apple grow
ing district of the world. Invariably the reply
was. we haven't got any on hand now, and don
keen il il stock. II you willing 10 wait we
can get some for you in a few days He says
things weren't that way ten years ago
It must not be inferred from this that the max
ing and drinking of cider have become obsolete
BY no means. In days trip a bicycle over
any road in Of the lake. shore counties in the
late fall one could find score Of presses dripping
with the fra grant juice of clean apples Perhaps
he might by few large mills. where immense
presses ;.e pushed together by hydraulic or steam
power and whose output can be measured by the
hundreds OF barrels a day. Huge tanks receive
flood until they froth and boil with the juice
the product is known cnly vinegar stock. II
is clarified with purnice powder and rectiied
tn drawing off, in order that the vinegar may be
as pure as possible. But when considered purely
cider. the liquid is open TO criticism
The best apple juice obtainable is that made to
order by some farmer known personally the
purchaser He has his hand press. perhaps
one operated by horse. He selects the apples
carefully. washes them. and strains the juice
through immaculate cheesecloth. The cider IS
clean barrels or keR kent cool place
q the purchaser desires 70 let the stuff rpen
togb hGtnG ion hvges bRroperes aI not
50 pronounced as when IL has begun TO get hard" ;"
ms taxes place pnaer normal I " IN
the name forty rod and if absorbed too reck-
people do not drink cider in conlparat lively large
vinegar after reaching that powerful condition.
Country constabes will tell you that the mean
fortunates who have experienced its terrific effects
L say 10TH the @ & thing ; to, too m only nj cdn from df
have an died off and bad whiskey and worse wine
"Appiejack'' is made. generally 'on the quiet"
by distilling hard cider. 1t is clear. amber-col-
possessed of deal o mischief when Improperly
& Sfohe ne IgfGd Is + OF ahls ;ti asaGy
saith. because, when once properly prepared. its
RoTdasTs RoTdsTs Is only DarSiee' 0y pile OF granite
: 4 tell you" said an old farmer the other day
TIE country dance and sech n like 1t & used ter be
e gy s5daT ns with dong5ns
sppies in front Of the kitchen fire Msbbe a few
eggs would be stirred in. with sugar. make
egg-nog. Somehow. when folks drink at all nova
days, they hev their beer their Californy wine
But what's them 10 good russet cider?'
The farmer of the old school would tell you that
mparison exist. AS specific for rheu-
matism dyspepsia. headache, dizziness and many
other ills, cider the "sovran balm Nova
days physicians be found who will admit that
tts powers were not exaggerated by the simple
country folk The writer knows one doctor Who
the year round. takes a small wineglass of pure
hard cider on getting up: and anether on on going
allows himself to be without demijohn of the
hest quality Of apple Juice