Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-01-15
SOME VALUABLE wINTER FRUIrs

All Rights Reserved by Banning Co.. Cni-
cago.
SOME VALUABLE WINTER FRUITS.
The Value and Importance of Dried
Fruits Not Well Enough Known.
The variety and abundance of fruits
which are found growing in cultivated
except in extreme cold ATTITUDES, seem to
shown very conclusfvely that they are de-
signed for an important as well as prom
spite OF this evident ordained purpose,
and the pleasure they give to botn pa, PAL
ate and sense Of beauty. We ind fruits t5
pleasant accessories to our list OF foods.
but not supposed to possess any value
from a nutrient standpoint
Fresh Fruits.
The statement that fresh fruits contain
large percentage of water, not less
than 20 per cent. and In some varleues
giving as high as SO per cent, should not
mislead the housekeeper into the beiIef
that 1t is useless expenditure OF money
to indulge S IN theS ssnpy
a delight to the eye and gratifying only
by their delicious fiavors the sense OF
tant factors in food in aiding in its prop
er assiImilation and digestion a: as wei
so saw sa theFe are few who obtain the
necessary daily supply required by the
system There is no pleasanter or safer
way of acquiring this needful eiement
than from fresh, ripe fruits, prepared in
natures laboratory. with Just the proper
amount of natural sugar and acid 70, TO
make the beverage most inviting to the
most familiar with are the orange, lemon;
use of these fruits were properly un-
derstood and they were considered as
they. should be, as natures tones ana
expended in these seeming luxuries but
small amount compared with the sum
various advertised tonics. digests, regu-
lators, etc.
when to Eat Fruit.
The generally accepted time for eating
fresh, uncooked fruit Is at the beginning
of our meals, especially in the morning.
1t is a question, however, whether the
appetite that. requires the incentive OF an
does not indicate some serious disorder
of the digestive powers, that require
e ear a or OF b she ale n eon
dition and desires hearty. solid foods.
the habit of beginning the first meal OF
the day with fresh, Sub-acid fruit should
be more generally observed. The juicy
fruits, like soups, prepare the way tor
the ready digestion and assimilation % OF
fruits are meant to serve the purpose OF
food or as food accompaniments, and we
fruit at unreasonable times. as between
meals.
The Cranberry.
or CRANBERRY. which some authorities
claim is the proper pronunciation, Is per-
haps our most popular fresh fruit OBJ
tainable in the winter. 1t seems es-
well and even freezing does not injure
ii. While the berries are not palatable
uncooked. they make an extremely pal
ly acid, with flavor peculiarly their
own. which develops in cooking This
fruit, when simply stewed with a little
sugar, and the skins not removed. while
relished by many: is rather too acid ana
irritating for children or delicate di-
waste in cranberries. and the cost be-
ing moderate: they are within the means
sional addition to their bill of fare.
oar Dried Fruits.
These, of course, do not possess the
same refreshing powers which make the
Jul Jul, Irats so =, th am r ,ne ~
foods or substituted entirely for the
fresh, uncooked fruit. While in drying
OF water, they are richer than the fresh
fruits, and retaining their nutrients
are a more condensed form of food and
serve very different purpose in our
dietary compared with the. juicy, I'M
nature of tonics and may be properly ad-
mitted in the rank of foods,
By the most successful process of dry
ing or evaporation. the fruit Is SUN.
GENTLY preserved without being subject
to degree of heat great enough to de-
stroy their fine flavor OF make them dry
or hard.
The Fig.
enabled us to obtain this fruit green and
fresh. we have been obliged to depend on
McS Sr come syrSa Both 9fy and
green figs contain much sugar and con-
siderably larger proportions of nitrogen
GUS substances than most other fruits,
unless we except the date. The fig is the
first fruit which received any particular
tory and its cultivation has continued
from the parent tree placed in the Gar
den of Eden down to the present day.
food. It Should not be eaten in too ao's great
and the dry, imported figs have a hard,
tough skin and numerous seeds. which
are fndigestibfe and often Irritating in
figs are tender, moist and contain fewer
so-called seeds.
The Date.
This is also a fruit of great antiquity,
and a highly. nutritious fruit. In Egypt
food They contain half their weight in
sugar and fair proportion of NITRO
The date palm is the ..mnifum' in parvo'
Of the Arab, as 1t furnishes him food
for himself and beast drink, fuel. in
fact, supplies almost every physical need
his life demands
Dried Piums Prunes).
The fresh plum is not regarded as an
altogether wholesome fruit, and unless in
Just its right condition is apt to prove
harmful. But when dYied it makes VAL
liable addition to the dietary, as 1t is
and the sweeter variety con-
tain a large amount OF sugar They
may be judiciously added to the list of
foods for children and invalfds, being
in their nature for certain de-
fects of the system.
Raisins and Carrants
These are the sweet varieties of grapes
Tried by exposure to the sun or ARTIFICIAL
heat. the sun-dried making the best
raisins. Raisfns are rich in sugar and
may. with proper preparation, be given
70 invaIids. They. impart a delightful
iavor to many milk preparations which
3 most acceptable to the sick. especially
when there is a distaste for milk. a
very serious obstacle which often con-
fronts the nurse. when a liquid or milk
iiet is ordered her patient. The apple
Ind banana are so generally known and
used 1t does not seem neces-
'ary to go into detailed description of
hem.
When dried, stewed fruits are substi-