186 THE STRAWBERRY IN NORTH AMERICA 



and rheumatism. Nearly every kind of food is harmful to 

 an occasional person. Some cannot eat pork ; to others 

 tomatoes are "poison." Veal, melons, cucumbers, choco- 

 late, apples and many other staple foods, are harmful to 

 a few people. Not one person in a thousand is harmfully 

 affected by strawberries, w^hen eaten in moderation. To 

 a very few persons strawberries are distinctly injurious, but 

 the number is insignificant compared with the multitude 

 who are benefited by using them freely. 



Most of this unjustified criticism of the strawberry is 

 due to the fact that it contains more acid than other 

 dessert fruits. This condition is aggravated when the 

 fruit is picked before fully ripe in order that it may be 

 shipped to distant markets. Strawberries disagree with 

 people chiefly because they are picked and eaten w^hen 

 unripe. Berries that are fully matured on the vines, in 

 home gardens, rarely cause trouble. The less sugar used 

 on strawberries, the better. Nothing spoils the flavor 

 and aroma of a perfect strawberry more effectively than an 

 excess of sugar. If the berries are unripe and sour, the 

 sugar that is added does not take the place of the sweet- 

 ness that nature would have provided had they ripened on 

 the vines. 



Over two centuries ago, while Izaak Walton was showing 

 a young friend how to catch fish and, at the same time, was 

 expounding a genial philosophy of life, he gave point to 

 his instruction by quoting the words of "good Doctor 

 Boteler," who said: "Doubtless, God could have made 

 a better berry than the strawberry, but, doubtless, God 

 never did." This remark since has been credited to Lord 

 Bacon, Henry Ward Beecher, Reverend Sydney Smith 

 and several lesser lights. WTiatever fame good Doctor 

 Boteler may have achieved in other respects, it is likely 



