ng the process as it can be carried on on the farm, there are a
number of distinct steps, all of which are important. The first step is
to prepare for the work. Get a good machine, as it will pay for itself
in the added extract of juice. A good machine need not cost more than
$25 and may be had for less. Casks must be obtained and sterilized with
live steam or sulphur fumes, washed thoroughly, and kept in a convenient
place where they will not dry. It is best as well to have the
convenience of running water to wash the apples if dirty and to clean up
the machine occasionally. Cleanliness should be provided for and
insisted upon, as dirty and decaying apples not only give undesirable
flavors, but the bacteria and molds feed upon the sugar in the cider and
greatly reduce the strength of the vinegar. This is one reason why a
rainy day is a good time for cider making, as dust and flies are less
and molds are not so abundantly "planted" in the cider.

The next step is the grinding and pressing and is very simple. With an
efficient machine the cider is quickly ready for the casks.

Then follows the first fermentation, which very frequently is not
properly managed, and poor vinegar results. The casks should be filled
only two-thirds full, the bung left open but screened with cheesecloth
or lightly fitted with a plug of cotton to admit air. Compressed yeast
generally should be added, at the rate of one cake to each five gallons,
first mixing the yeast in lukewarm water. If the cask is then placed in
a warm place, at least sixty degrees--seventy degrees or more being
better--we have the three requirements of proper fermentation, namely,
air, warmth and yeast. This will give rapid fermentation, which will
reduce the loss of sugars to a minimum. This fermentation should be
allowed to go on until completed. If vinegar starts to form it will
usually leave a residue of sugar and give a weaker vinegar. It will
require from two weeks to a year to change all the sugars into alcohol,
depending upon the management of the work. When finished the clear juice
is "racked" or siphoned into a clean cask, through a straining cloth to
insure the removal of all pomace or sediment.

[Illustration: Prof. W. G. Brierly, Horticultural Dept., University Farm,
St. Paul, Minn.]

Then follows the fermentation to produce the acetic acid and finish the
vinegar. A "starter" of "mother" can be used, but it is best to take out
a gallon or more of the cider