CHERRIES.—­Serve on stems, piled in a basket or high dish, with bits of green leaves and vines between.  Rows of different colored cherries, arranged in pyramidal form, make also a handsome dish.

CURRANTS.—­Large whole clusters may be served on the stem, and when it is possible to obtain both red and white varieties, they make a most attractive dish.  Put them into cold water for a little time, cool thoroughly, and drain well before using.  Currants, if picked from the stems after being carefully washed and drained, may be served lightly sprinkled with sugar.  Currants and raspberries served together, half and half, or one third currants two thirds raspberries, are excellent.  Only the ripest of currants should be used.

GOOSEBERRIES.—­When fresh and ripe, the gooseberry is one of the most delicious of small fruits.  Serve with stems on.  Drop into cold water for a few moments, drain, and pile in a glass dish for the table.

GRAPES.—­Grapes need always to be washed before serving.  Drop the bunches into ice water, let them remain ten of fifteen minutes, then drain and serve.  An attractive dish may be made by arranging bunches of different colored grapes together on a plate edged with grape leaves.

MELONS.—­Watermelons should be served very cold.  After being well washed on the outside, put on ice until needed.  Cut off a slice at the ends, that each half may stand upright on a plate, and then cut around in even slices.  Instead of cutting through the center into even halves, the melon may be cut in points back and forth around the entire circumference, so that when separated, each half will appear like a crown.  Another way is to take out the central portion with a spoon, in cone-shaped pieces, and arrange on a plate with a few bits of ice.  Other melons may be served in halves, with the seeds removed.  The rough skin of the cantaloupe should be thoroughly scrubbed with a vegetable brush, then rinsed and wiped, after which bury the melon in broken ice till serving time; divide into eighths or sixteenths, remove the seeds, reconstruct the melon, and serve surrounded with ice, on a folded napkin, or arranged on a bed of grape leaves.  Do not cool the melon by placing ice upon the flesh, as the moisture injures the delicate flavor.

ORANGES.—­Serve whole or cut the skin into eighths, halfway down, separating it from the fruit, and curling it inward, thus showing half the orange white and the other half yellow; or cut the skin into eighths, two-thirds down, and after loosening from the fruit, leave them spread open like the petals of a lily.  Oranges sliced and mixed with well ripened strawberries, in the proportion of three oranges to a quart of berries, make—­a palatable dessert.

PEACHES AND PEARS.—­Pick out the finest, and wipe the wool from the peaches.  Edge a plate with uniform sized leaves of foliage plant of the same tints as the fruit, and pile the fruit artistically upon it, tucking sprays or tips of the plant between.  Bits of ice may also be intermingled.  Yellow Bartlett pears and rosy-cheeked peaches arranged in this way are most ornamental.