The digestibility of fruit is increased for some people by cooking. This is probably due to the softening of the fiber, to the destruction of any bacteria present, and in the case of the banana, to the cooking of the starch. Fruit juice can be taken by little children and invalids who might find the fiber troublesome. Some people cannot eat berries on account of irritation caused by the seeds. In this case, juice may be squeezed from cooked berries and used for beverages and jelly. =How to buy.=——Since we should eat fruit daily, and not merely as a “treat,” it is important to practice economy in buying it. Fresh fruits in season, and dried fruits are the cheapest. Canned fruit is economical when it is a product of one’s own garden, or put up when some fruit has a low market price. Prices are so variable, even with one variety, that no definite sum can be given as a fixed price. Apples vary from fifty cents a bushel near the orchard and in season, to ten cents apiece for a fancy table variety in the winter. When you buy fresh fruit, inquire the prices of the many kinds offered, note which is cheapest, and then observe whether the cheaper kind is such because it is abundant, or because it is of inferior quality. If you chance to want apples for cooking, and the only cheap apples are spotted and bruised, then buy dried apples, or even canned. It is best to decide upon the fruit after you have studied market conditions rather than before. GENERAL METHODS AND RECIPES Fresh Fruits =Principles of preparation.= Thorough cleansing in clear water. Cleanliness, in avoiding use of the fingers. Making convenient for eating, sometimes by paring or cutting or expressing the juices. =Adjuncts.=——Sugar. The juice of an acid fruit with an insipid fruit. =Tools.=——A sharp steel knife for paring and peeling. A silver-plated knife for cutting. A glass lemon squeezer. =Methods.= _Berries._——Pick over. Wash in colander with a gentle stream of water, and shake carefully to avoid bruising and breaking. Chill in the refrigerator. Sprinkle with sugar when served. _Oranges._——Scrub the peel with a brush. (1) Cut in two crosswise and serve. (2) Peel with a sharp knife and remove the pith. Cut crosswise, remove seeds, and break up the slices. Sprinkle with sugar. Chill in the refrigerator. _Grapefruit._——The same method as with the orange, but in method (2) the pulp only should be served. _Bananas._——Wash thoroughly. (1) Cut in two lengthwise, and serve, _or_ Pour a teaspoonful of lemon juice on each half, and sprinkle with sugar. Chill in the refrigerator. (2) Pull off the skin, lengthwise. Cut in slices crosswise. Chill, and serve with sugar and cream, _or_