The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-02-18
Summer Rruit. for the Family.

summer Fruits for the Family.
Editors Of the Register:
1t seems to be generally admitted
nowadays, that fresh ripe fruit is a
luxury, which all families should enjoy,
at least occasionally during hot wealth
or, and those who can grow their ewn
strawberries, rsspberries, &C., may
safely allow their household to use them
pretty literally in their season, taking
care lest the children should partake of
them too freely. But, how few seem to
have any correct idea of the value of
fruit, as part of the daily food of the
family, and the advantage of having a
constant supply, especially during the
season of warm weather.
Physicians, and all who have given
attention to the subject, are aware that
irregularity Of diet is one of the most fire.
quent causes of disease, especially
among children, and while it is true
that ripe fruit. is almost essential as a
part of our summer food, and as a pre-
ventive of disease, it is very important
that the use of fruit should be a regular
and constant habit, and not merely ac-
caslonal, or surfeit one week and a
famine the next, IS is too common.
even with families who posses gardens
and grow their own fruits. They do
not take pains to procure and cultivate
sufficient number, or the right kinds
to afford o regular succession for the
table. Hence, for instance they will
have plenty of one kind of strawberries,
which are soon over, then the rasp-
berries, if any, are probably not ripe for
o week or two, and the household are
without any fruit; then the raspberry
supply is soon over, with few blackbei
ries to follow, and then perhaps few
grapes, or none at all; SO that really the
table is not supplied with fresh fruit
more than half Of the time; and, with
children especially, there is liability of
disease being induced by this titful
use of what would otherwise be the
means of promoting health.
If am asked how to secure regular
supply of summer fruits, answer by
telling how l do it for my own family of
ten persons, aud without any failure
for six months of the year, unless from
extraordinarily poor seasons.
LIST. Strawberries, furnish welcome
supply for the first month of summer,
by growing three or four varieties, early,
medium and late. (Tho best selection
of those and other fruits can DO made
from the Descriptive Catalogue of j.
Knox of Pittsburgh, which is sent for
ten cents to all applicants.)
2nd. RaspberrieS follow the strawber-
ries without any break, by having the
Doolittle or Dawson Blackcap variety,
followed by the finer variety.
Sd. CurrdRts come at the same time as
the raspberries and are valuable to mix
with them to give more acicity. Cur
rants are also q very wholesome and re-
freshing fruit by themselves in hot
weather, eaten with little sugar and
at meal times, especially for persons
who are accustomed % the daily use of
fruits. The White Grape variety mixed
with any of the red ones adds beauty
and excellence to the dish. The CON-
plant that currants require too much
sugar is not valid objection 10 their
use, for the SUI gar affords about as much
wholesome nutriment when taken with
other food, as the same costs of butter
or butchers meat By having several
varieties of currants, and giving them
good culture, the fruit may DO had for
the table about six weeks, especially if
some of the bushes stand Ill rather
moist soil or where partially shaded
though they should not be where water
never stands, nor under the drip Of
trees.
18th. BlaCkberrieS come directly after
the raspberries and currants, or along
with the late currants, and if well Gull
tivated on good soil will continue fruit
ing until the early grapes are ripe.
5th. Grapes are the crOwniDg glory of
the fruit garden; and everybody who
has garden or u few yards of ground
can grow grapes, in spite of the miidetr
and rot. II it is found that certain
varieties are not reliable in any locality,
there are other good kinds that will
succeed and little busting of the
leaves with sulphur will generally save
the fruit from the mildew. With three
or four varieties of grapes l find no diff
ficulty in having supply of this lusci-
Gus and wholesome fruit for three or
four months. This year / had nice
punches of Tomas kept till the last of
January; and / find no fruit so whole
some and nutritious fer q family of
children as good ripe grapes; so 1 say
everybody should plant grapes. have not
space to speak oiIthe different varieties.
Mr.. Knox's catalogue tells all about
them. NJ. B. BATEHAM.