INTRODUCTION. 17 



cially those that are acid, are proverbial, and every fever 

 patient has appreciated the relief derived from those that 

 are acidulous. Then as a preventive of the febrile affec- 

 tions peculiar to a miasmatic region, the free use of acid 

 fruits, or even of good sound vinegar made from grapes 

 or apples, is an established fact in medical practice of 

 which, by the by, prevention is always the better part. 



Apples were esteemed an important and valuable ar- 

 ticle of food in the days of the Romans, for all school 

 boys have read in the ore rotundo of his own flowing 

 measures, what Virgil has said, so much better than his 

 tame translator : 



" New cheese and chestnuts are our country fare, 

 With mellow apples for your welcome cheer." , 



But in more modern times, beside their wonted use as des- 

 sert fruit, or evening feast, or cooked in various modes, a 

 French economist " has invented and practiced with great 

 success a method of making bread with common apples, 

 which is said to be very far superior to potato-bread. 

 After having boiled one-third part of peeled apples, he 

 bruised them while quite warm into two-thirds parts of 

 flour, including the proper quantity of yeast, and kneaded 

 the whole without water, the juice of the fruit being quite 

 sufficient ; he put the mass into a vessel in which he al- 

 lowed it to rise for about twelve hours. By this process 

 ho obtained a very excellent bread, full of eyes, and ex- 

 tremely light and palatable." * 



Nor is this class of food desirable for man alone. 

 Fruits of all kinds, but particularly what may be called 



* Companion for the Orchard. Phillips. 



