Raisins. Raisins are dried grapes, and are prepared in two ways. The fruit known as the " Raisin of the Sun," or muscatel, is dried on the growing plant by partially cutting the twig so as to arrest growth. The other method of drying is more elaborate. The grapes are gathered and hung on lines or laid on floors to dry in the sun. When dried they are dipped in a hot lye of barilla soda to which is added a pint of olive oil and -J lb. of salt for every 4 gallons. After being dipped in this the raisins are drained and ex- posed to the sun for about a fortnight. They are then pulled from the stalks and packed for export to foreign countries. Raisins prepared from a small seedless grape, grown in Greece, are called dried currants. The name is a corruption of Corinth. Gooseberries. Gooseberries grow wild in Great Britain and many parts of Northern Europe. They are successfully cultivated in Northern England. In sweet gooseberries the ratio of sugar to acid may be 6 to 1 ; in other varieties 4 to 1. Yellow gooseberries contain more soluble matter than the red variety. When eaten freely they repel indigestion. Cranberries. Cranberries have been said to be so named in Europe because the fruit is ripe in the spring when the cranes return. They are a red acid berry much used for making sauce, etc. The high cranberry or cranberry tree is a species of biburnum and the other is sometimes called the low cranberry or marsh cranberry to distinguish it. FRUITS 113 FLESHY FRUITS Strawberries. One enthusiast says of the straw- berry: "Its virtues are legion and it has not a single defect. The gooseberry, like the rose, must be plucked from among thorns; the raspberry soon brings a warning sense of satiety; you may crush your teeth upon a grape-stone, and the biggest and sweetest apple has a core; but the strawberry is one imalloyed and unimpaired mouthful of deliciousness; it has neither rind nor stone to mar the perfect pleas- ure of the palate and, so healthful is it, that you can eat it imtil you are tired." The ratio of sugar to free acid in strawberries is from 2 to 1 up to 6-7 to 1 in the pineapple strawberry. They are richer than most fruits in potash and lime salts, and especially in soda salts. In moderation they are very wholesome and cooling. They have an agreeable aroma and it is said that their flavor is enhanced by the addition of some acid juice, such as orange or lemon juice. After rain, strawberries are comparatively insipid. Raspberries. In the wild raspberry the ratio of sugar to acid is only 1.8 to 1, but in cultivated varieties it is 3.5 to 1. Its uses are similar to other fruits of this class. Raspberry wine and raspberry vinegar are particularly agreeable and cooling in fevers. Blackberries. By many the blackberry is considered the finest fruit of this class. Observing what culti- vation has done for raspberries, it seems a pity that the blackberry is not taken up more generally by gardeners. It is largely used for making wine, and blackberry jelly is one of the finest jellies made. Mulberries. Mulberries may be red or black. The 114 DOMESTIC SCIENCE finest kind is the Indian mulberry. It is very refresh- ing and slightly laxative. Bananas. The banana is said to be a variety of plantain. Originally it was an Indian fruit, but it was introduced into America shortly after the dis- covery of the country and now forms a staple article of food. It is reported to yield a greater amoimt of food-stuff to the acre than any other plant, in this respect excelling the potato in the ratio of 44 to 1, or wheat as 133 to 1; and it has the additional merit of needing little or no attention.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Raisins. Raisins are dried grapes, and are prepared in two ways. The fruit known as the " Raisin of the Sun," or muscatel, is dried on the growing plant by partially cutting the twig so as to arrest growth. The other method of drying is more elaborate. The grapes are gathered and hung on lines or laid on floors to dry in the sun. When dried they are dipped in a hot lye of barilla soda to which is added a pint of olive oil and -J lb. of salt for every 4 gallons. After being dipped in this the raisins are drained and exposed to the sun for about a fortnight. They are then pulled from the stalks and packed for export to foreign countries. Raisins prepared from a small seedless grape, grown in Greece, are called dried currants. The name is a corruption of Corinth. Gooseberries. Gooseberries grow wild in Great Britain and many parts of Northern Europe. They are successfully cultivated in Northern England. In sweet gooseberries the ratio of sugar to acid may be 6 to 1 ; in other varieties 4 to 1. Yellow gooseberries contain more soluble matter than the red variety. When eaten freely they repel indigestion. Cranberries. Cranberries have been said to be so named in Europe because the fruit is ripe in the spring when the cranes return. They are a red acid berry much used for making sauce, etc. The high cranberry or cranberry tree is a species of viburnum and the other is sometimes called the low cranberry or marsh cranberry to distinguish it. FLESHY FRUITS Strawberries. One enthusiast says of the strawberry: "Its virtues are legion and it has not a single defect. The gooseberry, like the rose, must be plucked from among thorns; the raspberry soon brings a warning sense of satiety; you may crush your teeth upon a grape-stone, and the biggest and sweetest apple has a core; but the strawberry is one unalloyed and unimpaired mouthful of deliciousness; it has neither rind nor stone to mar the perfect pleasure of the palate and, so healthful is it, that you can eat it until you are tired." The ratio of sugar to free acid in strawberries is from 2 to 1 up to 6 to 7 to 1 in the pineapple strawberry. They are richer than most fruits in potash and lime salts, and especially in soda salts. In moderation they are very wholesome and cooling. They have an agreeable aroma and it is said that their flavor is enhanced by the addition of some acid juice, such as orange or lemon juice. After rain, strawberries are comparatively insipid. Raspberries. In the wild raspberry the ratio of sugar to acid is only 1.8 to 1, but in cultivated varieties it is 3.5 to 1. Its uses are similar to other fruits of this class. Raspberry wine and raspberry vinegar are particularly agreeable and cooling in fevers. Blackberries. By many the blackberry is considered the finest fruit of this class. Observing what cultivation has done for raspberries, it seems a pity that the blackberry is not taken up more generally by gardeners. It is largely used for making wine, and blackberry jelly is one of the finest jellies made. Mulberries. Mulberries may be red or black. The finest kind is the Indian mulberry. It is very refreshing and slightly laxative. Bananas. The banana is said to be a variety of plantain. Originally it was an Indian fruit, but it was introduced into America shortly after the discovery of the country and now forms a staple article of food. It is reported to yield a greater amount of food-stuff to the acre than any other plant, in this respect excelling the potato in the ratio of 44 to 1, or wheat as 133 to 1; and it has the additional merit of needing little or no attention.

Domestic science (Clark, Cornell home economics)