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tempting condition, when the internal acids are largely changed to sugars, and the whole 

 mass of that inviting toothsome colour that engages at once the sense of sight, and is of 

 that yielding state of softness to the sense of touch that gives assurance to the eater. 



This is the condition when the forces of nature have consummated her elaborate work 

 upon and in it so well understood by the well trained fruit-grower, and when it is alone fit 

 for refined and refining human food. The influence of such food upon the human consti- 

 tution is doubtless very great, and definitely marked. This, to us is the ambrosia and 

 nectar that was formerly thought becoming for the dieties only to use as food, and never 

 for ordinary mortals. The keen observer of human nature can almost readily discern at 

 a glance the diflference between the man who is in the habitual use of fruits and vege- 

 tables largely in his diet, and the man who has a large dose only of animal ingredients in 

 his constitution. In the first case the food being select, congenial and mild, the nature 

 manifests the benign influence of such congeniality. How different is this beautiful in- 

 fluence to that of the mere animal or flesh eater. By this we would not be understood to 

 discard in toto all animal diet, on the contrary, we practice and most devoutly believe in 

 a mixed diet as best and most suitable to the urgent necessities of our present economy. 

 What we do mean is simply this, that we most firmly believe, that we, as a people, use 

 too much of pure animal diet, and if the relishable qualities of fruit more and more en- 

 tered into our daily diet, it would, in our humble opinion be better for us intellectually, 

 physically and morally. We hold fruit in its uses to be a medicant, a corrective, a sol- 

 vent ; in this connection, as well also, we hold it to be a food, a tissue builder and a force 

 producer in the human organism. Further, we believe, and would teach the use of fruit 

 at all seasons and at all times. We believe in fresh fruit, in canned fruit, in evaporated 

 fruit, and in preserved fruit, in jellies, in marmalades, in beverages, in cider, and in 

 wine. We believe in its use further in the autumn and in the spring, in the summer 

 and in the winter, and on all days and occasions in company and out of company. In 

 short, we finally believe in the wisdom of its use thoroughly, wholly and completely. We 

 believe, furthermore, in all fruits that are by our experience known to be good for food 

 and pleasant to the eye, and to be desired to make us better. In this connection, we 

 believe in strawberries of all sorts, although connoisseurs would fain have us believe that 

 some varieties are better than others. But to us they are all good and equally to be 

 taken with equal amounts of rich and well prepared fixings. We believe also in raspberries 

 and blackberries, and can take them in equal doses, being also as with strawberries well- 

 fixed. As for the kinds or colours, we have very little discerning choice so long as the 

 true and genuine raspberry qualities are present and well developed. With our present 

 facilities for preserving and canning these fine summer fruits we believe it is our duty to 

 have them at all seasons of the year and in greatest abundance. We believe also in cur- 

 rants and gooseberries and all varieties, but not so firmly as we do those of strawberries. 

 Our reasons for this are private, but nevertheless we believe in them. Howevei-, we 

 most firmly believe in the free and untramelled use of the whole of the following list of 

 superb native fruits, viz. : — Apples, pears, plums, cherries, peaches, and grapes, and these 

 in all their endless variety of sorts and kinds. In these fine fruits is an almost endless 

 diversity of quality, as hard and soft, as sour and sweet, as woody and melting, as strong 

 flavoured and insipid, as buttery and as sugary, but still we believe in them. We be- 

 lieve they all have an appointed place to fill, a work to do, and a use to exert, and a 

 character to sustain. Whether their origin was recent or remote, whether at home or 

 abroad, whether in England or Ireland, or Scotland, or on the continent of the old 

 world, whether on the continent of the new world, or in the still more stern and trying in- 

 fluences of Canada, wheresoever their early home may have been, we still believe in them, 

 and welcome them. We believe also in tropical as well as temperate fruits. And those of 

 all sorts, whether they may be called oranges or lemons, from the torrid and tropical 

 regions of California or Florida, or whether dates or figs from the more tropical clime of 

 the East India Islands, or whether they may be limes or bananas, we would still use 

 them, and relish them and be thanfeful for them. But in our endless and varied wealth 

 of rich and tempting fruits suitable to our condition and clime, we are most happy to say 

 we need never covet the tropical fruit of the southern zone. Our basket of fruit is so 

 rich, so varied, so tempting, so seasonable, so luscious and delightful. Under whatso- 



