The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1883-10-10
Grapes and their Uses.

This most excellent fruit acts bene-
ficially on the system. The French
(who certainly should know from ex-
perience) say that the grape dilutes
thick blood and sends the circulation
to the surface, giving healthful color to
pale cheeks, removes distractions from
the liver and lungs, aids digestion,
brings the stomach into a healthful
state, dislodges gravel, and confers
vigor and health upon the system.
With all this list of blessings proceed
ng from-not medicine, but the most
delicious of easily grown fruits, how
can any one owning small plat of
ground deprive his family of grapesp
They may also be used as medicine, for
a good authority says: "When in
health, swallow only the pulp; when
the bowels are costive, swallow the
seeds with the pulp; to check a too re-
laNed state of the bowels, swallow the
pulp, rejecting the seeds; also masti-
ate the skins and swallow their astrin-
gent juice. The skin, being tough
and indigeshble, should never be
swallowed.
BY packing carefully in shallow
boxes with paper or grape leaves
between layers, and placing in cool,
fresh and good for some time. All the
cultivated varieties, however, lack the
keeping quality of the native American
Fox grapes These gathered a ter the
first heavy frost. when they are really
sweet and pleasant to taste, have been
laid on the fruit shelves where they have
keptin good condition until March But
try as we may, they will not keep con-
tinually; so we must resort to jell .es,
preserves and canning.
In grape preserves, the seeds are by
many considered an abom nation, and
whether healfhful or not every effort is
made to get rid of them. To do this in
the easiest manner, stew the grapes un-
til soft, and pass through colander.
Still, as this removes the skins as well
as seeds. the identity of the fruit is
nearly lost, for the result is a thick,
pulpy Jelly. Some divide each grape
with sharp knife, pick out all the
seeds, and then preserve; the result, of
course, is delicious, but it is too much
trouble to put up thus more than linn
tied supply. A better way is to press
the pulp from each grape after the man.
ner of stoning cherries, putting skins in
one dish and pulps in another. Stew
the latter and pass through a colander
to remove the seeds. Add the skins to
this semi-liquid mass, and very de-
sirable result is obtained.
/ seldom make more than q few grape
preserves, preferring to sweeten to taste
and put up in glass fruit cans. There
is then no danger of fermentation, and
one is not tormented with the thought
that an undue amount of glucose or
other adulteration is mixed with this
very healthful fruit We have one vine
that persists in forming more fruit than
it can mature; so late in July or early
in August the grapes are thinned.
These are picked from the stems and
boiled until soft, in clear water; this is
drained of, the pulp is pressed through
a sieve, sweetened to taste, boiled down
thick and canned. 1t may, if liked, be
used as jelly. Although this is in no
wise better than preserves from ripened
fruit, it makes an agreeable change. and
adds to the supply.
find it advantageous to put up few
quarts without removing the seeds. and
sometimes without adding sugar. Then
If the supply of jelly fails before spring,
these grapes can be used, making Jelly
as good as was made of fresh fruit
o. A. o., iil Country Gentleman,