i88i.] NOTES FROM THE PAPERS. 17 



Baldwins, and Greenings, which are, for the most part, sold in London by 

 costermongers at the rate of two or three for a penny, while, by the West- 

 end fruit shops, the finest Newtown Pippins are retailed at eighteenpence a 

 dozen. It is obvious that, at these prices, enormous profits must be made 

 either by the American shippers or by the consignees in this country; nor can 

 it be denied that Apples ought to be much cheaper in England than is now 

 the case. Be this, however, as it may, the export trade of fruit from North 

 America to Europe is still in its infancy; and nothing is more surprising to an 

 Englishman who visits the United States for the first time, than the amazing 

 abundance and superlative excellence of Apples, Cranberries, and Peaches. In 

 the Western and Southern States, big baskets containing these fruits may be 

 bought at a shilling apiece ; and Dr Nichols tells us that in New England 

 ' the finest Apples cost less than three-halfpence a bushel — less, in fact, than 

 a single good Apple often costs in London.' In Georgia and Alabama deli- 

 cious Peaches rot upon the ground in thousands of bushels, which even the 

 multitudinous hogs are not able to devour. In former times, before an in- 

 genious Yankee had invented paring-machines, it was the custom, especially 

 in New England, to have what were called ' apple-paring bees,' at which a 

 dozen or more families met together during the autumn, in order to pare the 

 Apples with sharp knives, and then to quarter and core them, previous to 

 stringing the quarters upon twine, and hanging them up to dry in festoons 

 suspended from the kitchen ceiling. Dried Apples, and open pies made from 

 them, constitute, in fact, one of the commonest and cheapest dishes which are to 

 be seen upon New England tables in winter; and if some little skill in cookery 

 were employed, as is rarely the case, in preparing them, we doubt not that 

 the insipid pumpkin-pie — of which, about a century since, Talleyrand, when 

 exiled to the United States, expressed such abhorrence — would disappear before 

 the superior attractions and flavour of a similar dish made from Apples. 



" Hitherto the humbler classes in our great cities have had no idea of making 

 any other use of these cheap Apples than is involved in their consumption in 

 a raw state. 'Pleasant as is the Apple by itself,' says the author of the 

 admirable * Book of the Table, ' ' it needs assistance in cooking. Its taste 

 requires to be heightened by other fruity flavours, to be crossed with spices, 

 to be enriched with butter, and magnified in contrast with sugars and creams.' 

 Stewed or baked Apples, with a little marmalade or currant-jelly added to 

 them, form a cheap and palatable dish ; and Apple-tarts with cloves, nutmeg, 

 and a little lemon-juice squeezed into them, are within the reach of the hum- 

 blest households. "We trust that the experience gained hitherto by American 

 shippers of the amazing quantities of this delicious fruit which the English 

 markets can absorb will lead hereafter to a largely-increased supply, at dimin- 

 ished prices to the consumer." 



Turning from fruit to vegetables, it seems not at all unlikely that the Ameri- 

 cans will soon be formidable competitors in the early Potato trade. Not much 

 more than a week distant from our shores, and with a better climate, there 

 seems to be no reason whatever against them securing a monopoly of this 

 trade also. It seems as if home growers will eventually be compelled to con- 

 fine themselves to the production of perishable fruits only — like Strawberries 

 and Currants, &c., which there is always a good market for. 



We do not know anything concerning Mr Stevens of Gullane, but should a 

 monument ever be raised to the investigators of the Potato disease, we should 



B 



