ON THE LAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17295, 20 October 1919, Page 10

ON THE LAND.

FRUIT AS FOOD.

"Thai, fruit, was intended '» *»• eaten we knew, not only from the taste anfl the nleaSnr-j we experience when eating it. but ajso from observation of the offect oa the human system." So says an officer of the State Board of Health in Kansas, U.S.A. It has been discovered, in fact, that fruit is a very essential part of the diet of the human race Li some form or other.. In those portions of the world where La is mo»t needed nature has provided it profusely, and there we find it growing most, luxuriantly.

The acid flavour in fruit largely accounts for its refreshing effect, and the add h»3 a, very important place in human nutrition. It is true that fruit is not a higftiy concentrated food, but it carries a considerable amount of nutrition, at least in the s'igar that the fruit contains. It also cor' ains a small proportion of other essentials—hydro-carbons, proteins, and fats—and it can be fairly said that fruits are as nutritious from the calory standpoint as green vegetables—speaking, cl course, in a general way as to both the fruit ar»d the vegetables. In a dried condition, be it noted, fruits contain as much nutrition as dried vegetables, but preserver! fruits are rather a different proposition, sun-ar having been added in the nrocesping. •

So important is the fruit as a food that in the fjeding of the vast bodies of men lately en ployed in Europe, fruit in some form wins one of the main features of the supplies. One can hardly think of the British soldier on active service without picturing also great quantities of iams. preserves, marmalndes, etc. We have- come to understand that the place of fruit in human nutrition is one that cannot be filled by anything else. It is absolutely necessary for the greatest nourishment and good health. But, fruit is also important, says this Kansas doctor, by reason of the Savours alone. Physiologists have found that ore of the importart elements in nutrition is the favours that the fruits carry, their effect upon the digestive juices. It has been demonstrated that, foods from which the flavour has been removed, or in wh : ch it is very slight, have impaired the diges- j tivc machinery; The sugar alone is of value in this respect, but the free acids in available form are also important. The sugar conlent of fruit vanes a good deal. App est contain 8.55 p«-r cent, of sugar; cherries,' 9.95 per cent; peaches about the same; "Trapes, 14.85 per c\snt. ; • strawberries, 6.24 per cent.; oranges, 5.65 per cent ; currants, 6.44 per cent. i The largest amount of free acid is contained oy currants, 2.24 per cent.; strawberries have 1.1 per cent. : 1.35 per cent. All the fruits that contain any considerable quantity of sugar carry with them a delicious flavour, and also contain the Jicid3 that are essential to bodily well being. The particular value of acid in fruit can only be spoken of in a tentative fash ir-., because thai subject is now under investigation in many directions, but it can be eaid that in order to maintain the alkalinity of the blood free acids must be taken into the system, the life processes reeminsjly acting upon them to their own end. The affect of fruit acid* upon the secretions of the body are ■well known, and t&e old adage that "an apple :i day keeps the doctor away" has some scientific foundation. Tha grower of fruit and vegetables, in fact, fulfils a function in society of tremendous importance, the real "value of which both consumer and producer have yet to learn. FORCING MILK RECORDS. > What is official testing for! This ques- I tion is asked and answered by Mr. W. A. ! Fuller, supeirvisoir of official tests in Illinois, 0-S.A» Soma American breeders, Mr. Puller remarks, think, of it as a money Retting proposition alone. Why ha asks, do they pay 3.0,000 dollars, 2O'joQo dollars, or 50,(300 dollars for a herd sire with a big eeven-day record day? It is simply because hi sons and daughters can be sold **- a handsome cum, and thereby bring in good returns for the money paid for the bulL Forcing a cow on either the -en-day or yearly test is not doing the cow or tho herd to which she belongs justice. Young cows arc often burnt out before they have a, chase© to show their real ability. On American dairy farms, where purebred Friesians are kept and forced for large seven -day records, cows are held lor breeding purposes on account of a short period high production, which has mined them for lite, a« far as the ability to produce milk and butter-fat is concerned. Are the most of the big 40 and 50 pound records mads in the eastern Stats of America backed by good yearly records? If they are, tho yearling must not be worthy of mentioning in advertising. Why do some cows, coming off yearly testj either die in about a year" or fail to make another record? Simply because these cows have been forced every inch of the way throughout the year while making their records, and are burnt out, pr their constitution i« weakened so that" they cannot withstand any little disease that they may contract. Such records as that made by Tilly Alcarta., are, it seems to Mr. Fuller, (»aye the Brisbane Week) the records to be (Sicotiraged by any breed association- But since the putting off of breeding a cow the first few times she comes m heat, in order to finish a year with good high production of both milk and butter-fat, is, in many cases, the cause o L ba "* eni »ess, why mi i he asks, consider the 10-month, or 305-day record a little more seriously? It allows a calf each year, and, in the belief of Mr. Fuller, will lesiien the number of barren cows in the country. He submits the pertinent question >— breeding is a fad, why not ' make it a more useful one? If breeding : and testing are in one, a money-making pame, why not play the game square with the cow and discontinue the undue forcing for high records thai has killed and put on the invalid list many good cows* BrecJ tor the future of "the breed and dairying, and thereby help the fellow who ' will come in after you fall out. He passfaly will be forced to depend more upon Ihe production of the cow for his profits rather than big prices for the offspring of cows that are idle from one half to three-fourths of the time. ! I THE IDEAL SHORTHORN. j It is very difficult (writes a correspondent in the English Live Stock Journal) to describe at all adequately a Shorthorn of the highest class, but it should combine the good points for which several of she leadings (drains are noted. Th<j head of a bull i.' ;; teature of the highest importance. The forehead is very wide between the eyes aid a little dished. Under it the fa* iaper.s gradually to the muzzle, where it Incomes slightly wider round the nostrils, yhirh are prominent and full. The nose ' i. of .-, rich flesh-colour tint, and anv ; blnenr** or spote are condemned. Curf | i:jr Mir on the «rarp is becoming tc a bull. i TV- i»y«i are bright, prominent, and bold- ' ■.'king, showing high blood and spirited rlnrneter. The ears are ralher long, thin, t'-pft. :\v.d '"p|l covered with hair. The " h .-Tim. which are of a crennny or 'vax like I < ■■'■'"'•, ,I'id Kometimes inclined to be flat, • L '''!'._ ■>—11 from the coronet, nip short end ihif-k. and, with aire, Henri rather in- "': '"1 '"'..ir-1- 'he face. FpwarfJ growing l">'-» ".. , 1 i,-,,,,,,,,,!,,'-, „,„) de«trv.v tho '"*"'' ■■' i a head v. Licit ni.iv utherwi« e ho ,v, ' !l '"••■ m."'.. Tlior,. i- a-lwavj, much L-'andeur di«pli,ved in the Lend of a liir/h- ---' ,**' I'n'l T h '' 'enisle 1m« most of the characteristic* whirl, beloru- to the male hj't "-ere '"•«' «oir.« loading points « ' (I J-rence.. '[he }, ei of the female '.- h.-.y _sm«lV- and dor,- taperare 3. f*™«nir* character. The eve. "^vr-'?„s,,,K ,i ;-,,,,f-> T ,,^"t ■■•' <> and itracefuilv cnrh.,l. The neck :^Z\^\T%^.T T at X- " ,nrl ' ;,n ' ;l™rfn«. at the jowl/" A *if .o.v neat, and not at nil „r. . '"' 5 -d e »«tho« of , he \:L a \r e : { :t»z *imnsr at the ton where the? inin y erop S . The udder ,W dex t en d nl U «H. and! have well-formed and snulre'