Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-01-30
Friday, January 80, 1914
nr;ed Fruits and Old Days.

mr.. TT : Department of Agriculture
has inst issued a letter on iie1
pr,,,ts an Economical and Vaiuaple
D;a, +. THE department advises inc
farmers wife TO add variety TO 'he
daily fare by using dried fruits aiohe
or in cakes. buildings and confectioh-
-. pa.ainr through the analysis OF
food values. flavor possibilities cheiiii-
TO, changes. ETC.. we catch ourselves
.,,,n,ns time backward to the days OF
naring bees and the old farm mouse
ritchens deliberately draped IN their
ievelry of drying fruit; to the sioes
of the gray shingled cottage, It's sun
nv outer walls hung with hunoreos Vi
"strinss" of apple and each lnies'eo
,,,i+, ,,,vriads of fiies-sometimes worse
If that were possible. In those DAYS
dried apple brought the farmer from
11 ,ents to six cents a pound, store
49, hushel of apples would make
five pounds of dried fruit, II we remelh-
her correctly, and two bushels pared
snlit cored and strung was good aa-
tunn evenings work for the average
family. A pairing bee would clean out
a nile of from 80 to 100 bushels-ana
then every receptacle about the prem
Uses would be loaded with apples for
day or two until they could be hung UP
to dry. OF course the workers had TO
be fed on baked beans. pumpkin pies,
Indian puddings, and lots of other
good things, and the only profit real
lied was from the all-around good
time.
Gee, We forgot where we were-Ken-
nabec Journal and its editorials, and
mails and correspondents and critics
ana friends and all, and just amoled
off into the past where we were begin
ming to enjoy ourself, when that con-
sarned old telephone rang. But speak
ing of that government suggestion
about dried fruit. here is some OF 1t;
see what you can get out of it,
Numerous studies made of nutriitve
values by the Office of experiment sta
tions have shown that dried fruits may
be termed an economical article of diet
Fruit products in general contain little
protein but as sources of energy, de-
rived almost entirely from their sugar.
dried fruits are decidedly cheaper than
meats and compare favorably with
dairy products. They are, however.
more expensive than cereals and
starchy vegetables. such as dried beans
and potatoes.
Under no circumstances should fresh
and dried fruits be thought luxury,
since they supply the needed nutritive
material as an integral part of the
diet, besides adding to the attractive
ness of the daily fare. If they are to
be eaten raw, brands made and mar
keted in eIeanIy way should be OBJ
tanned.
The amount of dried fruit produced
in the United States increased SIS per
cent. between 1899 and 1903. California
produces more than four-fifths of the
yearly output. According TO a very
rough estimate, each person in this
country consumes on an average or
6 pounds of dried fruit a year.
The value of the product rose from
between four and five millions to over
q millions in 10 years. The average
wholesale price, however, has not adj
vaneed with the increased demand on
the contrary, it has dropped from
about 51a cents to about AZ cents per
pound.
Dried fruits are especially useful
when the supply of fresh fruits is linn
tied or where storage space for fresh
fruits is lacking. Besides being used
alone, they may be mixed into cakes
puddings, confectionery and other
dishes. They afford nutritious and
economical way of securing variety of
diet, which is often overlooked by the
housewife.