hem
under cover, as the sun will sour them too soon, if permitted to operate
on them, and by his heat extract a considerable quantity of the spirit,
if the weather be warm they will work fast enough, provided you have a
sufficient supply of hogsheads to keep your stills agoing in due time
and order; about twenty hogsheads are sufficient to keep one singling
still of one hundred and ten gallons agoing, if you distil the pumice
with the juice, but if you press off the apples after they are done
working, you must have three times that number.

In warm weather five or six days is long enough for apples to work, as
it is always better to distil them before they are quite done working,
then to let them stand one hour after the fermentation ceases.

ART. XI.

_How to work Apples slow or fast._

If the hogsheads ripens too fast for your stills, add every day to each
hogshead four gallons cold spring water, putting it into a hole made in
the centre of the apples, with a large round stick of wood; by thus
putting it into the centre of the hogshead, it will chill the
fermentation, and thereby prevent the fruit from becoming ripe sooner
than it may suit the convenience of the distiller. But I think it
advisable that distillers should take in no more apples than they can
properly manage in due time.

If the weather be cold, and the apples do not ripen so fast as you wish,
then add every twelve hours, four gallons boiling, or warm water, which
will ripen them if the weather be not too cold in four days at farthest.

ART. XII.

_How to judge when Apples are ready for distilling._

Put your hand down into the hogsheads amongst the apples as far as you
can, and bring out a handful of pugs--squeeze them in your hand, through
your fingers, observe if there be any core, or lumps of apples
un-digested, if none, you may consider them as sufficiently fermented
and quite ready for distilling. It may also be ascertained by tasting
and smelling the cider or juice, which rises in the hole placed in the
centre; if it tastes sweet and smells strong, it is not yet ready, but
when quite fermented, the taste will be sour, and smell strong, which is
the proper taste for distilling. A nice discriminating attention is
necessary to ascertain precisely, when the fermentation ceases, which is
the proper moment for distillation, and I would recommend, rather to
anticipate, than delay one hour after this period.

ART. XIII.

_How to fill an