368 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



cess of sun drying, and without the most expensive resort to fuel and the risk 

 of overheating." 



PACKING ArPLES FOR DISTANT MARKETS. 



Many believe that some packing material should be used in the barrels to 

 keep apples from bruising each other; but we have never known this to be 

 necessary when the apples were sound, and properly barreled. After the apples 

 are in, they should be subjected to a pressure by the lid, to the extent of even 

 pressing some of the fruit into each other. In good air-tight barrels, they will 

 not move or bruise each other. It is only after the air gets to the bruise by the 

 pressed-in apple, that decay follows; while the two apples are pressed together 

 they will not rot. — Gardener' s Monthly. 



FRUIT AND SUGAR. 



When fruit does harm it is because it is eaten at improper times, in improper 

 quantities, or before it is fully ripened and fit to be taken into the stomach. 

 Unripe fruit of any kind is indigestible, but with the present facilities for a 

 supply of one or more kinds of choice ripe fruits nearly the year round, there 

 is little need for using that which is unwholesome. Grapes and strawberries 

 are two of the most healthful fruits that can be grown. These fruits, eaten 

 liberally of during their seasons, with other sorts that ripen between the seasons 

 of these two, will be found more potent to cure diseases of the bowels and 

 digestive organs, unless of too long standing to be relieved by any remedy, than 

 drugs and medicines. The main difficulty is we do not eat enough of fruit, 

 and then the imperious claims of too often perverted tastes lead us to destroy 

 its finer qualities with sugar. We need the medicinal qualities of the pure 

 fruit acids in our systems, taken from nature's own laboratory, and given us as 

 one of the best gifts of providence. Let us accept them as such. — Michigan 

 Homestead. 



BIRDS AND MOLES. 



HOW THE ENGLISH SPARROW LOVES INSECTS. 



With much trouble we succeeded in driving the sparrow from our cornice 

 where they had made their roosts. They betook themselves to the thick shade 

 of a box elder tree that stood near by, and found a comfortable summer roost. 

 Anon, the tent-caterpillars came and "jumped their claim." But the spar- 



