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 the latter end of August; or if it be too luscious, not till the March following. However, do not rack it too often, because it weakens the cyder, and occasions a good deal of the spirit to fly off.

In the above method of making cyder, it is to be observed, that the chief intention is to stop the fermentation, to unlock or raise no more of the spirit than is necessary, and to preserve as much of the lusciousness as possible. The method is the same in the management of wines, and for the like reason. When you brew malt liquor, you can add spirit to it by an additional quantity of malt: but in wines and cyder you have but just such a quantity of spirit, which therefore must be managed with prudence and frugality. The common fermentation, which cyder undergoes in bottles, will soon raise spirit enough, and make it like old wine, a noble racy liquor; for in proportion as the spirit is raised by fermentation, the lusciousness goes off. But if you ferment it too much at first, the spirit will be exhausted, the lusciousness broke and carried off, and you will have nothing left, but a rough, vapid disagreeable liquor, such as you meet with among country farmers, who often ferment their cyder so long, that it is fit for little else but to make vinegar.

Take any quantity of apples, pound them, and pour three gallons of water on each bushel; put them into a tub, or any other wooden vessel, with a spiggot near the bottom; let them infuse twenty-