, 1890-08-05
MISS coRsoN's PROPOSAL.

miss COhSONfS PhOPOSAC-
Suggested by Conditions in New York
but Applicable Everywhere.
Copyright by American Press Association
In the early days of her work in the
interest of housewives the positive abuse
of the tender first fruits Of the spring by
the greengrocers went to the writer's
heart.
The day was passing of the woman
huckster who went to New York from
the red fields of New Jersey, bending
under those divinely scented berries
that now are only memories; from Long
Island with such ''sparrowgrass," ito
matuses" and evergreen corn" as we
never hope to eat again; from Hacken-
sack with nutmeg" melons, the vicinity
of which was like an Indian spice grove
for balmy warmth of odor. Alasi her
CHEEKY cry was echoing its last even
then. The corner grocery store was
stealing her local customers, and the
peripatetic vender undertaking her
price. Instead of her dew dripping let
tuces and crisp cucumbers with nights
GOODNESS upon the fevered palate, the af-
ter breakfast marketer found the green
grocer's stalls spread with frail leaves
and nerveless sprouts already whiting in
fervid summer sun, set to gather all the
dust and poison of the city refuse stirred
by every passing cart.
Voice and pen have been used unceas-
ingly TO remedy as far as might be the
injury of this most important portion of
our daily food. We would not buy a
wilted rose for the ~buttonhole as we
stroll along the sunny city street, nor
pluck n falling flower passing any gar
den. Why should we be content to al
low the dealers in our daily food to treat
it with less care than we demand in the
handling of our ornaments?
There would be one way to obviate
the necessity for this care on the part of
the retail dealers, i. e., to take out of
their hands tho purchase of these per
ishable foods. | have already proposed
in he columns of Harper's the women's
purchasing agency for foods of all kinds.
There is no community which this arti-
Gle is likely to reach too small to sup
port such an agency if its purposes and
advantages are fully understood.
Many housewives do not rise early
that is, early enough TO market In the
first hours when the best supplies are
sold. In all market centers the hand
ling of fresh vegetables and fruit takes
place in the hours near dawn. Even the
trains that bring the far way shipments
from another state, and the fruit vessels
that come from the southern ports, reach
their depots and wharves at any time
after midnight, so TINT the produce may
be in the hands of the local commission
dealers about 4 n. IN.
When fruit and vegetables reach town
they are at once loaded upon waiting
carts and transferred to the market
stalls or stores of the produce commits
sion dealers. There the packages are
opened if there is any indication of de-
cay or imperfect condition, although
usually the brand of the packer is u
guarantee of the state and grade of the
goods. When a package is opened all
imperfect specimens are thrown aside,
either II be used by the dealer or posi-
bly, sold for a trifle to some small ped
der. From the dealer the retail grocers
purchase their supplies, buying also
from the farmers and fill their W
wagons. which are driven direct to their
stores, ready for their customers about
0 or Z o'clock.
II tue markeUer could Ut once pur-
chase from this fresh stock he would be
well supplied. From the stock coming
from u distance he would need only to
select that which is fresh, plump with
juice and fair to the eye. From the
garden produce the eye again should be
pleased and the touch gratificd by n
crisp, firm texture of leaf and stalk.
The market gardener gathers his crop
in the late afternoon, packing 1T into his
big canvas covered load before dark, and
driving it into the city market square
before midnight. There heputs his cart
into line, protected by the stout canvas
cover, and either curls up among his
blankets on the seat or surface of the
load, after caring for his horses, or, CON
fding it to the market Waterman, lie
goes to some eighboring tavern or hotel
for a few hours sleep. He must be at his
post between 3 and 4 a. m, for her his
customers are ready to purchase. He
sells by the barrel, basket or package at a
price agreed upon with his fellow farm
ers during the night.
From these facts, which hold good in
most communities large enough to have
a market center, it will be seen that any
intelligent business woman who would
have the courage of her opinions, and
would not fear to change part of her
night into day, might market for several
neiGhbors, first having arranged with
As u general liniment for sprains and