GoldenFruit（A.A.Milne）OfthefruitsoftheyearIgivemyvotetotheorange.Inthefirstplaceitisaperennial--ifnotinactualfact,atleastinthegreengrocer'sshop.Onthedayswhendessertisanamegiventoahandfulofchocolatesandalittlepreservedginger,whenmacédoinedefruitsisthetitlebestowedontwoprunesandapieceofrhubarb,thentheorange,howeversour,comesnoblytotherescue;andonthoseotherdaysofplentywhencherriesandstrawberriesandraspberriesandgooseberriesriottogetheruponthetable,theorange,sweeterthanever,isstilltheretoholditsown.Breadandbutter,beefandmutton,eggsandbacon,arenotmorenecessarytoanorderedexistencethantheorange.Itiswellthatthecommonestfruitshouldbealsothebest.OfthevirtuesoftheorangeIhavenotroomfullytospeak.Ithaspropertiesofhealth-giving,asthatitcuresinfluenzaandestablishesthecomplexion.Itisclean,forwhoeverhandlesitonitswaytoyourtablebuthandlesitsoutercovering,itstopcoat,whichisleftinthehall.Itisround,andformsanexcellentsubstitutewiththeyoungforacricketball.Thepipscanbeflickedatyourenemies,andquiteasmallpieceofpeelmakesaslideforanoldgentleman.Butallthiswouldcountnothinghadnottheorangesuchdelightfulqualitiesoftaste.Idarenotletmyselfgouponthissubject.Iamaslavetoitssweetness.Igrudgeeverymarriageinthatitmeansafreshsupplyoforangeblossom,thepromiseofsomuchgoldenfruitcutshort.However,theworldmustgoon.NexttotheorangeIplacethecherry.Thecherryisacompanionablefruit.Youcaneatitwhileyouarereadingortalking,andyoucangoonandon,absent-mindedlyasitwere,thoughyoumustmindnottoswallowthestone.Thetroubleofdisengagingthisfromthefruitisjustsufficienttomakethefruittastesweeterforthelabour.Thestalkkeepsyoufromsoilingyourfingers;itenablesyoualsotoplaybobcherry.Lastly,itisbymeansofcherriesthatonepenetratesthegreatmysteriesoflife--whenandwhomyouwillmarry,andwhethershereallylovesyouoristakingyouforyourworldlyprospects.(ImayaddherethatIknowagirlwhocantieaknotinthestalkofacherrywithhertongue.Itisatrickybusiness,andIamdoubtfulwhethertoaddittothevirtuesofthecherryornot.)Thereareonlytwowaysofeatingstrawberries.Oneisneatinthestrawberrybed,andtheotherismashedontheplate.Thefirstmethodgenerallyrequiresustotakeupabentpositionunderanet--inahotsunveryuncomfortable,andatanytimefataltothehair.Thesecondmethodtakesusintotheprivacyofthehome,foritdemandsadressing-gownandnospectators.ForthesereasonsIthinkthestrawberryanoverratedfruit.YetImustsaythatIliketoseeonefloatingincidercup.Itgivesanoteofrichnesstotheaffair,andexcusesanyshortcomingsinthelunchitself.Raspberriesareagoodfruitgonewrong.Araspberrybyitselfmightindeedbethebestfruitofall;butitisalmostimpossibletofinditalone.Idonotrefertoitsattachmenttotheredcurrant;rathertotheattachmenttoitofsomanyofourdumblittlefriends.Theinstinctofthelowercreaturesforthebestiswellshowninthecaseoftheraspberry.Ifitistobeeatenitmustbepickedbythehand,wellshaken,andthentaken.Whenyouengageagardenerthefirstthingtodoistocometoaclearunderstandingwithhimaboutthepeaches.Thebestwayofsettlingthematteristogivehimthecarrotsandtheblackcurrantsandtherhubarbforhimself,toallowhimafreehand放手处理withthegroundsel（千里光）andthewalnuttrees核桃树,andtoinsistinreturnforthisthatyoushouldpickthepeacheswhenandhowyoulike.Ifheisagentlemanhewillconsent.Supposingthatsomesatisfactoryarrangementwerecometo,andsupposingalsothatyouhadasilver-bladedpocket-knifewithwhichyoucouldpeelthemintheopenair,thenpeacheswouldcomeveryhighinthelistoffrui...