1899.] - ESSAYS. ca 



(lc('()rMti\ e nionstiosities, and ndd something for illustrations of 

 what may he done to make fruits and vegetahles more aoceptahle 

 and nutritious as foods. 



More attention siiould he paid to increasing tlie uses of New 

 Enghind fruits and vegetahles. The wholesome apple ought 

 not to he so largely supplanted hy the orange. Who knows, 

 for instance, what a prize offered for a new confection made 

 from apples might hring out from inventive cook's experiments. 

 Evaporation is a much easier method of pieserving than canning. 

 Yet l)eyond a few articles, which even the earliest settleis of the 

 country prepared in this way, little success has heen attained 

 in saving product;: of the farm and orchard by drying. With 

 handy stove evaporators there is ample opportunity to save some 

 of the fruits and vegetal)les, which might go to waste if there 

 was no other way of saving them than hy canning. 



Along with this might be added an exhibit of how the dried 

 article would look and taste after the cook has done her work 

 properly. Part of the popular indifference to dried food of 

 this kind is due to lack of knowing how to restore the moisture 

 without 'losing the solidified juices as they dissolve or without 

 breaking up the more solid part into an uninviting mass. 



No man cares whether he sleeps under a patchwork quilt of 

 ten or ten thousand pieces, but it does concern him whether his 

 dinner be good or whether what he provides is used to the best 

 advantage. At least until the government sees fit to aid in 

 spreading knowledge on this subject it appears to be the duty 

 of fairs to encourage and reward l)etter methods of feedinof 

 people as well as animals. 



Not long ago, a man having wide knowledge of agricultural 

 and horticultural interests, urged me to write more in favor of 

 encouraging children to comi)ete for prizes at fairs. Premium 

 lists show a diversity of custom in this respect, and some have 

 special prizes for school work. Theoretically there could be no 

 l)etter way to encourage nature studies and manual training. 

 Even when not under the supervision of teachers or limited to 

 school work the plan works to a charm. The boy raises a fowl, 

 some choice berries, oi- completes a creditable bit of wood 



