NEW VARIETIES OF FRUITS. 25 



or high wine?] oil, powerful aromatics, and forbade the 

 use of fruit; it died. She followed the same course, and 

 met the like fate. 



" This disease was destroying a Swiss regiment, which 

 was stationed in garrison, in the southern part of France. 

 The captain purchased the grapes of several acres of vines. 

 The sick soldiers were either carried to the vineyard, or 

 were supplied with grapes from it, if they were too feeble 

 to be removed. They ate nothing else ; not another died, 

 nor were any more attacked with the complaint after 

 they commenced eating grapes. 



" A minister was attacked with the dysentery, and the. 

 medicines which were administered gave no relief; he saw 

 by accident some red currants, and had a great desire to 

 eat them ; he ate three pounds between seven o'clock in 

 the morning and nine o'clock in the evening ; he was bet- 

 ter during the day, and entirely cured the next." 



I might multiply the facts and evidences from different 

 sources, and the writings of other eminent physicians j 

 but the above must suffice for this time and place. For 

 other important uses I would refer to the account of each 

 particular species, in the following pages. 



In new countries, and in new settlements, in places 

 remote, in the wilderness or on the ocean, in times of 

 privation, and in the absence of the useful fruits, the habit- 

 ual use of tobacco, of alcohol, and of strong fermented 

 liquors, has been acquired, all of which create insatiate 

 thirst. The friends of temperance, who would abolish the 

 use of these, as pernicious, must encourage the cultivation 

 of fruits, as the healthy antidote and useful substitute. 



SECTION IV. OBSERVATIONS ON THE NEW VA- 

 RIETIES OF FRUITS. MODES BY WHICH THEY MAY 

 BE PRODUCED. 



On the Decline of the old Varieties. 



The decline of many of the most valuable old varieties 

 of fruit has been noticed by several distinguished writers 

 of different countries, both of the present and of the for- 

 mer ages; and in England, particularly, by the celebrated 

 Thomas A. Knight. In our country, and in the vicinity 

 of Boston, it has been more especially observed in regard to 



