Smyrna times., 1876-01-19
Apples and Cider.

short, but it was not well grown, and a
great part of it was detective Apples are
poor this season, and dear, which is a matter
OF more serious consequence than many
persons would suppose. Apples have be-
come one Of our staple articles of export
but 1t is fruit Of home consumption that
they have most Importance. Apple eating
IS looked upon rather scornfully by many
persons. 1t is associated with school boy
days, with rustic habits, it suggests MUNICH
ing, the smell Of the peel upon the stove,
the seed snapped in the face, or a slip upon
the untricndly core flung in the way of the
unwary walker. To eat apples is rather
mira dig. The gentleman, who takes whisky.
straight or crooked or gincocktails before
midday, would regard with contempt an
invitation to eat an apple at that time, or
indeed at any hour of the twcnty-four. But
tins, like many notion Of assumed lofti-
ness, Is very unwisc. 1t may be safely said
that, except the various kinds of grain.
there IS no product of the earth in this
country which is so good for food as the
apple. This noble fruit is no mere Dalatn
pleaser; it is very nutritious. 1t affords
fully as much nourishmcnt as the ,,otato.
which Is regarded as a staple article of food.
what an outcry goes up if there is u pros.
pect OF failure in the potato crop! and
yet very little is said Of the chance Of n
dearth of apples, which shows a lack Of
true appreciation of the fruit. Not only is
1t more nourishing than the potato. but if
contains acids, mild and gentle, as well as
pleasing to the taste, which act in bcnefi-
cent manner upon the whole animal
economy. An apple cater is very rarely
either dyspeptic or bilious. The apple is
also tonic in quality, and contains phos-
phorus in greater quantity than anv other
vegetable does. Therefore, it is a most
hitting and desirable article Of diet for rs
Americans, who live in such a state OF men.
tai excitement, and are indisposed to bodily
cXertlon. Itfecds the brain and stimulates
the liver, which is just what we need.
Nature, as if knowing that such would
be our national temperament and such orr
hygienic needs, has given the apple in tbi.
country Development which it hasattainod
nowhere else. There are no apples to be
compared with American apples. either in
size or IN flavor. This fruit is one Of the
few things that we brought from Enclapd
which have improved upon our soil. lis
excellence * 50 l,,r I
that it may be almost called our national
trlIIt. And yet there are signs that lis cul.
uvation is falling into neglect. The anpIe
orchards which lay around the old farm.
houses beautifying them in the spring. and
cnrichlng them in the autumn, are dyinc
out or have died out, and no sufficient
measures seem to have been taken to
supply their places. The greenine, the
plppln, the spitzenbcrg, and other varic.
Ties almost worthy to be named with them.
are diminishing in number. and dateriorat
ing in quality; and those which are offered
instead Of them are coarse. aashv tb;pos
lacking both flavor and substance. The
iruit growers attention seems of late to no
concentrated upon the pear which takes
very great airs upon itself. both at tLe
lrulter's and upon the table 1t is coddIed
and wrapped up, and has very high and
mighty names given to it, and is very costly.
ana consequently it seems to be elbowino
the apple out of the market. This is to be
deploredj for, admitting the dcliciousness
oi the pear, and giving to it all the high
respect which is its due, we should not for.
get that for real worth tits not to be namod
with the apple. The pear is mere luxury
OF the palate, having, to be sure. the de.
slra0le stomachic qualities that belong TO
all fresh acid fruits. But the applc has
substantial merits. 1t is food nourishino
and stimulating both to mind and body
1t Is domestic fruit; homely, yet rich and
beautiful Vigorous, like so many homely |
things, among them the homclv graces and
virtues. 1t is the roast beef of fruits
We could better spare them all. cxcont
perhaps the strawberry in its season, than
we could spare the apple And yet the
strawberry is merely ephemeral; the apple
lasts the year around, to feed us and to
cheer us by its peculiar corrective and
qualities.
Moreover, the apple produces cider, a
beverage, which ought to be far more com.
monty used and more cheaply obtained
han it is. Good cider used to be as com.
non in the Northern Atlantic States. and
in New England and New
Jersey, as good mill-almost as good
Vater. 1t was drank daily, and generally
hree times day, not only by the rural
population, but by those in the towns II I
'as cheap, so cheap that the poorest people {
rank it. Now, good cider is the rarest l
leverage that one can search for. II is /
lmost uniindable; and when found IL is
cry dear, costing about three times os /
nuch as wine does in the wine countries Of t
Europe. This ought not to be, and it need 4
ot be. Cider has qualities which make it, v
moderation, most desirable beverage y
~ us ; and il has virt,,as ,,,l;ob r;,,o - - +