PURE AND IMPURE FOODS. 



477 



does some 85 per cent water in the. 

 edible portion. The principal nutritive 

 material consists of carbo-hydrates, chief 

 ly sugars. In addition to the nutri- 

 ents which they furnish apples are of 

 great value as appetizers, and the salts, 

 acids and other bodies which they contain 

 are undoubtedly beneficial. Furthermore, 

 they render the diet attractive, and this is 

 a quality which can not be measured in 

 chemical terms. Many apples are raised 

 on farms and in gardens but the crop 

 might be largely increased by giving proper 

 attention to old trees and by planting new 

 ones. Care should be taken to select the 

 well known sorts rather than the wonder- 

 ful varieties so often offered for sale, 

 which are almost always worthless. The 

 experiments lately made by Professor 

 Card, of the Rhode Island Experiment 

 Station, to increase the yield of an old or- 

 chard, are of interest. 



"It was a home orchard of something 

 less than an acre, containing many va- 

 rieties, which had been planted about 25 

 years. When work was begun the trees 

 looked unpromising. They had made little 

 growth, and the trunks were covered with 

 lichens or moss. No fruit had been pro- 

 duced for several years. The treatment 

 given by the Station was such as any 

 farmer might afford. 



"The first thing done was to scrape off 

 the rough, loose bark from the trunks and 

 branches, and prune the trees. This rough 

 bark may do little harm, but it denotes lack 

 of thrift, and affords a harbor for insects. 

 The pruning was simple in this case; only 

 dead branches and crowding suckers were 

 removed. How much to prune in other 

 cases will depend on the condition of the 

 trees. If they are old and decrepit, with 

 dying branches and failing strength, prun- 

 ing should be vigorous. An apple tree can 

 be renewed like a grape vine. A wealth 

 of suckers is its- signal that such renewal 

 is needed. In extreme cases a tree may 

 even be cut to the ground and another 

 built upon a young shoot which springs up. 

 This is seldom demanded, but with old 

 trees which have lost their vigor, whose 

 branches are diseased, and which have 

 made but little growth, quicker returns and 

 better fruit may come from heroic treat- 

 ment. Cut out the old branches ruthlessly. 

 Leave vigorous young suckers to take their 

 place. A new top will quickly form and 

 better fruit will result. If trees are not so 

 far on the decline such pruning will not be 

 needed. It may then be confined to thin- 

 ning out useless branches. Sunshine and 

 air should have free access." 



In addition to trimming the trees thor- 

 oughly, Professor Card had them sprayed 

 with Bordeaux mixture and Paris green, to 



destroy fungi and insect enemies.. The soil 

 (around the trees was cultivated and suit- 

 able fertilizers were applied. The effect 

 'on the trees was marked. Two years after 

 the treatment began about $80 worth of 

 fruit was harvested, though before Profes- 

 sor Card began his experiments the or- 

 chard had borne little, if any, fruit. 



BUCKWHEAT FLOUR. 

 According to A. L. Winton, it is a not 

 uncommon practice to sell various mixtures 

 containing inferior wheat flour, corn flour 

 or other cereal products, under the name of 

 buckwheat flour. These mixtures are much 

 cheaper to prepare than genuine buckwheat 

 flour, but usually sell for the same price 

 in the retail market. While it is true, as is 

 sometimes urged by way of excuse for this 

 illegal practice, that. some buyers prefer to 

 use a mixture of buckwheat and other flour, 

 it is likewise true that others prefer clear 

 buckwheat, and that all buyers have the 

 right to know exactly what they are pay- 

 ing for; a right which is denied them 

 when mixtures containing cereals are sold 

 to them under the name of buckwheat 

 flour. Such mixtures can only be legally 

 sold in Connecticut either under distinc- 

 tive names, "not under the name of an- 

 other article," or "so labeled or tagged as 

 plainly or correctly to show that they are 

 mixtures, or compounds, combinations or 

 blends." 



"Self-raising" or "prepared" buckwheat 

 flour, put up in sealed and labeled pack- 

 ages, contains the requisite quantity of 

 baking powder and salt for cooking by 

 simply being mixed with water or milk. 

 The flour in these preparations is often a 

 mixture containing wheat or corn flour, 

 or both. Rice and barley flour are also 

 occasionally used. The trade names under 

 which pure self-raising flours are sold as 

 well as the information given on the pack- 

 ages, show that they are mixtures, and al- 

 though it is not always stated that various 

 kinds_ of flour are present, there is no evi- 

 dent intent of deception. The samples ex- 

 amined in Connecticut in 1901, under the. 

 provisions of the State pure food law, may 

 be classified as follows : 

 Buckwheat flour not found adulterated. 63 



Buckwheat flour adulterated 44 



Adulterated with wheat flour 26 



Adulterated with corn flour q 



Adulterated with wheat and corn flour. . q 

 "Prepared" or "self-raising" buckwheat 



flour 8 



Total 1 1 =; 



- Under the head of unadulterated buck- 

 wheat flour are included all samples in 

 which no appreciable quantity of matter for- 

 eign to the buckwheat kernel was detected. 



