The Canadian Horticulturist. 399 



time of ripening, the more sugar in the grape, and the less acid it is found to 

 contain. There is a small quantity of albuminous matter in the grape, similar 

 to the albumen in the blood, also some gum and dextrin. The mineral con- 

 stituents are tartrate of potash, soda, phosphoric acid, lime, magnesia, and iron. 



From 70 to 80 per cent, of the grape is water The physiological effect 



of the grape is significant. Eaten with other suitable food in quantities from 

 one to two pounds daily, they increase nutrition, promote secretion and excre- 

 tion, improve the action of the liver, kidneys, and bowels, and add to the health. 

 The sugar of the grape requires no digestion, but is taken at once into the blood, 



where it renders up its force as required ; so, also, of the water Eaten 



moderately with a suitable diet, they will not produce cathartic effects but a 

 more natural action of the bowels, so important to health ; or, if eaten in large 

 quantities, they are gently laxative. As soon as this occurs, obstructions disap- 

 pear, and a feeling of comfort arises which is very gratifying to the sufferer." 



It will be seen, since grapes have as high as 30 per cent, of glucose, and 

 the poorer sorts as low as 10 per cent., that it is not an extravagant estimate to 

 regard them as containing on the average 15 to 18 per cent, of this heat-giving 

 nourishment. With a requisite amount of fish, flesh, or animal products with 

 oil, from one to one and a-half pounds of bread daily, may be considered a 

 liberal allowance ; and a pound to a pound and a-haif of grapes to each of three 

 meals, will yield an equal amount of carbonaceous food. It will be noticed that 

 when eating bread, one must be furnished with some fluid for drink ; whereas 

 when grapes are used instead of bread, nature provides a distilled water mani- 

 festly more wholesome than any other drink which the human being can take. 



In England, unfortunately, the climate is not well adapted to grape 

 culture, except by artificial aids ; but, fortunately, the blackberry, the rasp- 

 berry, strawberry, and gooseberry give bounteous yearly returns. Professor 

 Church credits the gooseberry with being only half as nutritious as the grape. 

 I am, however, inclined to think that if analysed when perfectly ripe, it will be 

 found to contain a larger proportion of sugar than is at present credited to it. 

 Blackberries and raspberries, are rich in sugar, and all these fruits may be plenti- 

 fully and cheaply produced in England, and by bottling may be kept substan- 

 tially fresh the year round. The fruitarian has only to add a small quantity of 

 dried figs, dates, or bananas--and some one of these fruits is always obtainable 

 at a low price — to obtain all the nourishing elements contained in bread, and to 

 have, in addition, a food much more easily digested, rich in aperient and health- 

 giving acids, and filled with the most wholesome drink known. — Emmet Dens- 

 more. M.D., in Hort. Times. 



Rupert : " I hope, mamma, that I wasn't impertinent to Mrs. Thatcher 

 to-day ? " Mamma : " Indeed, I hope not, Rupert. What did you do ? " 

 Rupert : " Why, she said I was growing like a bean-pole, and I told her 

 bean-poles don't grow." — Harper's Young People. 



