Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-10-16
Fruits for the Table.

All our cultivated fruits are dividet with
reference to the product into two classes,
and are either ''for market or ''for the
the table, The fruits cassed for markets
are not always of high quality, size and
appearance being the main requisite.
Size in fruits is nearly always at the ex-
pense of quality and flavor. The small,
wild raspberry is better in flavor than
either the Enormous, Gregg or Shatfer, the
common wild straw berry will by far dis
count the Bubach that will often measure
from two to two and one-half inches in diam
eter Originators work harder along the
color line and for size In fruits than for
quality and flavor.
The readiness with which the Ben Davis
apple sells is proverbial, and nearly four
ffths of the general run of customers will
| walk past Jonathans and order or purcease
a barrel of those big, bright, fine looking
red apples" The chief fault in this mat
! ter, is because of popular ignorance with re-
spect to the quality aud comparative mer-
its of fruits, and, second, because of an in
| herent desire that is in the race for big
! things. Color and the sense Of sight plays
most important part IN the sale and con-
sumption of fruits, and the sight of rosy
checked peaches, f1ame-colored apples,
| black or purple grapes. the we'll rounded
| boxes of strawberries, raspberries and
blackberries, tastefully displayed in the
| shop windows. bring water to the mouth
| as soon-if not sooner-than the savory
| fumes of Shorthorn steak playing on the
oIfactory nerves of hungry person from a
| kitchen window. The steak satisfies. but
| the fine looking fruit, with large size.
| leaves too often the feeling with the Gus
| toner. that if that is the way all fruits
taste he will get along with as little as
| possible, use more picked goods and vine
| CARS for appetizers and toning up the sys-
| tenl
Taking into account these facts-decep-
tive color, size without quality, ignorance
OF the quality and comparative value OF
fruits as a food. together with the fact that
so large per cent of fruits reach the con.
sumner in a damaged condition and have to
be picked in haIf-ripe state so they will
handle safely and bear transportation-the
fruit-eating public scarcely know what
there is in eating fresh, ripe fruit Here
is a wide field fer home and local growers
to furnish fresh. ripe fruit of high quality.
and educate the public to appreciate and
see the healthfulnesss of such. High fer
tility and culture, close pruning, dead-ripe
fruit delivered in clean packages will open
and keep full control Of any local or city
market. More fruit should be grown and
eaten of the class known as for the table. -
All those who can should not only grow the
common fruits with high cultivation and
secure flavor with size. but a short cut can
be made and a few varieties of each class
Of fruits of better and higher flavor can be
/ tested or grown with extra care for home
or table use. The village garden, the sub
urban resident on conmodlous lot. or the
farmers can develop their fruit gardens on
! this line and discard the CONSUMPTION OF
unripe or unwholesope fruits. The size
and sight of fruit should advertise it just as
loudly as the fumes of the steak does the
value of Short-horn cattle as a food. and
the quality of the fruit and its condition