The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-08

The strawberries were an unwar-
| ranted luxury, perhaps, but who could
resist strawberries In September? We
| couldn't. We could have substituted
| apple sauce for dessert, II We had been
| out to make a record for cheapness,
for we had a peck of apples that cost
| us just nothing-good cooking apples,
too. but windfals picked up under
meath the trees.
| The clever lady Of tho house said
that without the gasoline the meal
would have cost $3.50 at least, and we
wouldn't have had the berries and the
other things wouldn't have been half
as good
You have guessed, Of course, that the
gasoline is mixed in the menu via the
carburetor Of a small car.
Few owners Of automobiles seem to
realize how much cheaper fruits and
vegetables are II only they will take the
trouble to seek at the source and take
them home. A few do know, many
more think they know, but 1t would be
good thing for the farmer and the
city man both If the practice Of shop
ping for eatables along the country
roads were more general.
Those who think they know are de-
serving OF the most pity, They are
the folk who patronize the attractive
looking stands along the great motor
} highways. Beware these! City prices
J here And not half the stuff comes
: from the countryside.
The thing to do is to poke off down
the byroads and lanes, where you find
the farmers who really are glad to
J see you. There is little travel past
| their doors and since II Is more trou-
BILE for them to reach the market they
are relatively more appreciative of your
patronage.
We claim to be adopts ut this game
we've been at 1t two or three years
: Take our experience last week for an
example. Canning season is upon us
| and the ladies OF the household de-
manded to be supplied with tomatoes,
pears, peaches, apples for the Mason
jars and vegetables enough to last a
i, week. So away we started, two of us,
armed to the pocket brim with small
bills and small change. Long Island
was our hunting ground, Out the Mer.
rick road through Freeport and well
beyond, then a turn to the left for the
middle of the island. Then the search
, began. II was easier for us than for a
7 stranger, for nowadays we look up old
: acquaintances. and IL they haven't to-
matoes or pears this year they will tell
us neighbors who have. Incidentally.
less you're lucky. We were, but we
] had TO pay 81 bushel for them, which
! is scandalous; not as compared with 10
] cents a pound at the corner grocer's,
but AS compared with 81 last year.
They may be cheaper later. We went
Q to five farms before we found tomatoes
good ones. In the meantime we had
Z found pears at $3.50 a bushel, apples
J at 81 bushel more apples for moth
e ing at all but the picking up C'if
q they're any good to you, you're well
come to 'em"). And we were promised
: price indefenite but II will be reason
81 able. We know the man OF old,
: We just stumbled on the strawber-
ries, on one of the prettiest kept farms
we ever saw. Blight, SO the farmers
t wife told us, was handicapping them
that they put In the everbearing or fall
variety last spring as an experiment
They seem to be a great success. She
graciously permitted us to help pick
the three quarts we promptly demanded
1 after sampling-dark red, incredibly
or so to come will be plentiful, possibly
longer unless there Is a killing frost.
May their tribe increase!
Q We go to SIS for our vegetab les
8 It's not the cheapest place on the island
D but we think 1t the best, and they are
ders. Some Of the big truck farms
won't, you know. Sell truckload OF
! none, is their motto,
But even at SIS, green corn Is only
40 cents dozen, string beans are 10
cents quart, lmas at Is, beets are
four punches for quarter, and run
six and seven to the bunch, fall rasp-
: berries are 20 cents a pint. carrots a
nickel a bunch. onions two quarts for
: 25 cents. Potatoes are 81 bushel
Try that list over on your groceryman.
We spent $3.50 in all: got three bush
els Of fruit and tomatoes for canning,
: enough vegetables to last a week, and In
the fresh autumn air and rushing wind,
the appetite to enjoy them.
The gasoline? We used four gallons.
!, We could charge It up against the cost
Of setting our table. But why, not
charge 1t up to recreation?