Genuine Sauerkraut

From 1912:

Select fine cabbages and take out the hearts, which are not required for the sauerkraut. Put all the outside leaves through a cabbage cutter. When they are minced fine, put a layer of them about four inches thick into a stone jar, or barrel, or keg, and sprinkle salt and white sugar over it. Now pound with a wooden mallet or pestle until you have a compact mass. Put over this a second layer of cabbage, salt, and sugar, and pound this flat. Proceed in this order until all materials are used up. Pound hard to firm all. Salt and sugar to your liking. It is not well to make it very salty.
Do not add water in making. If you pound long enough there will be enough liquid to cover the cabbage.
Set in a corner of the kitchen, cover the barrel or crock with a cloth, then with a board, and lay a heavy weight upon the top of all. If during the winter the liquid settles down and leaves the cabbage exposed, pound all down. In this way you may keep the sauerkraut nicely until June.