WHEN GRAPES ARE KIPE, 237 



we hope we may add, full maturity. Those 

 who are careful to send to market only ripe 

 fruit, nicely put up, always obtain good prices, 

 and find fruit growing profitable : grapes 

 ought not much longer to form an exception 

 to the rule of ripe fruit. 



In every city that has a market, there ought 

 to be a Board of Health, composed of con- 

 scientious and honest men, like that instituted 

 in New- York last summer; and it should be 

 their duty to see that no unripe fruit is offered 

 for sale ; for of all complaints that affect the 

 public health, there are none that run their 

 course more rapidly, or prove more fatal, than 

 those 'that have their origin in the use of 

 unripe fruit. Grapes are no exception: emi- 

 nently healthy when ripe, they are just the 

 reverse when unripe. Each one, therefore, 

 should gravely ;ask himself, how far he can 

 conscientiously become particeps criminis in 

 destroying public health and life. 



It becomes important, then, that those who 

 plant vineyards should have some means of 

 judging when the fruit is ripe. In the apple, 

 pear, etc., mellowness is a good external indi- 

 cation of maturity; but we have no such guide 

 in grapes, for mere appearance and touch are 



