Birch Wine. (Mrs. Farquharson. July, 1855.)
The birch juice should be drawn from the trees about the first of April (it does not injure the trees; indeed, they rather like it; if the spring is backward you must not let them be tapped till rather later).
To every gallon of birch juice put 4 lbs. of white sugar, 2 nutmegs, and the thinly-pared rind of a lemon. Boil and skim this well, clarify with eggs, and when hot put fresh yeast to it; let it ferment for 2 days. Next put it into a cask and let it ferment for 10 days. Flavour with essence of almonds. Close up the cask, and cement it with lime. Leave it so closed for 6 weeks; then bottle the wine. Keep it in a cool cellar; set the bottles upright, or they will fly.