From 1913:
Mash the cherries as soon as picked, without breaking the pits. Squeeze the pulp (in cheesecloth a little at a time) and press out all the juice. Add for every quart of juice ½ pound sugar and 1 quart water. Cover and set aside. Pour cold water, to cover, over the pulp from which the juice was pressed, mix and let stand over night. Drain the liquid, measure, and for each quart 4 ounces of sugar. Now mix the cherry juice and that from the pits together, and strain it through cheesecloth or flannel. This can easily be done by setting a colander with a square piece of cheesecloth or flannel over a bowl, then pour in the liquid. When all is ready, fill the liquid into a barrel or keg, which should be placed in a cool cellar; leave the bunghole open and keep the keg or barrel always full, covering the bunghole with a thin piece of muslin. Let lie till fermentation has run its course, which will take about four months; adding every morning a little sugar syrup to supply the waste caused by fermentation. When fermentation ha stopped, and no noise can be detected, close the bunghole, let it lie six months, then bottle.