The national course in home economics

PLUMS. (French Style.) Select any kind of plums desired. If fresh picked arrange them on fancy dish with their own leaves. Serve with small knives. If not fresh picked place on ice three hours before serving. Mary Butler, CHILLED WATERMELON. Select a thoroughly ripe watermelon, place on ice till very cold; now wipe dry and cut crosswise at center. Cut out triangular sections (see colored illustration ) cut down the remaining sections so as to easily separate with a knife. Serve with rind attached; serve on large round platter decorated with fresh grape or apple leaves. John Miller. FRESH FRUITS. GRAPE FRUIT SERVED IN BASKET. (Made of the peel.) Select medium-sized grape fruit cut in basket shape (see colored illustration) and with a knife carefully scoop out fruit and all the bitter pulp. Return the fruit and sprinkle generously with sugar just before placing it on table. Tie to the handle some light blue baby ribbon and some pretty geranium leaves and set on fancy plate at each place; a nice first course for a luncheon. Leone Hull. PINEAPPLE DESSERT. Cut the top off of a pineapple and cut away the bottom so that it will stand upright on a plate (see colored illustration). Scoop out the pulp throwing away the core. Mix the pulp with strawberries and green malaga grapes cutting the berries and grapes into halves. Sweeten and return mixture to the pineapple shell and set on ice. Decorate dish with leaves from the crown or with grape leaves. Luella. ORANGE AND STRAWBERRIES IN BASKET. (Made of Peel.) Select good-sized oranges, cut off the top, scoop out the center and fill with strawberries and some of the orange. If liked pour over a little sherry and put on top a spoonful of whipped cream. Delicious. John. GRAPES. There is no fruit that is so inviting to the eye as large clusters of grapes, arranged in a clear glass dish. They can be pulled from the stems by the fingers in eating. Nell. PEARS. Select those that are ripe, pare them and stem them. Cut them in halves, laying them on a fruit dish, and sprinkle powdered sugar thickly over them. To be eaten with knife and fork. Mary Anderson. RAISINS. Large clusters of raisins can be arranged upon a fruit dish, and a dish of almond-meal set near them. A bunch of the raisins can be placed on each plate, and a teaspoonful or two of the almond-meal added. They are to be eaten together. Lillian B. MIXED FRUITS. The beauty of any fruit is increased when it is tastefully dished. A beautiful method of showing off fruit is to procure a large gilt basket, and fill wiih apples, pears, peaches and grapes, and fill in the crevices with ferns and geraniums or any green sprays that suggest themselves. The dish so ornamented should never be too full, and always garnished in some way, either with leaves or flowers. When these are not at hand, embroidered or lace paper can be bought for the purpose. All fruit designed for the table should be carefully examined and wiped with a napkin before arranging it on the dish. Mrs. R. Beals. MUSKMELONS. The large melons may be cut into large pieces and served with a little ice on the plate, but small ones are cut in halves, a small piece of ice placed in each section and served. They may be made the first course at breakfast or luncheon. A. R. G. PEACHES AND CREAM.