Bolder and more direct methods seem to be the rule of the day and in this
case the rule seems to be a good one. The more complicated an effect gets,
the harder it is to handle. Mr Bush has reduced that old and true classic to
a concise method that does not confuse at any time and leaves a profound
impression.

Passing three lemons into the audience, the performer asks that one be
selected and held, the other two being tossed back. The performer requests
the loan of a dollar bill, the serial number of which is taken down by
another person, and then the performer tears off one corner, which he
hands to the owner as a means of still further identification. The dollar bill
is now vanished. The spectator takes the lemon from his pocket, cuts it
open and finds therein a bill. Serial numbers all check and the owner of the
bill has the corner that matches perfectly. What could be more convincing
in the eyes of the audience ?

Lemons should be used that are different from each other to the extent that
they can be mentally identified as one, two and three. Remove the stem
pip from the lemon at the stem, and, with a sharp instrument such as an ice
pick, insert it at this spot, making a hole large enough to receive a rolled
up bill. The bills are rolled as follows : Fold to half its own width, then
in half lengthwise and then roll into a tight roll. The bill will not be over
three-sixteenths of an inch in diameter and about one and five-sixteenths
of an inch in length. The bills should be neither too new nor too old and
first the serial numbers of each should be written down and a corner torn
from each. Be careful to keep each corner with its own number.

Roll and push number one bill into number one lemon with a blunt
instrument to about center. The same is done with the other two bills and
lemons. Put a drop of glue on the stem pip and replace it over the hole and
let dry. Upon examination the lemon appears to be ordinary and without
preparation. Put the torn corners in your pockets so you can get whichever
you want and you are ready.

The spectator selects one of the three lemons passed him, and puts it in
his pocket. The two remaining lemons are tossed back and this is where
the performer finds out which has been selected. He places them on the
table, at the same time securing the corner to match the bill in the selected
lemon. If the corners are being kept in his pockets instead, he secures the
right one while asking the loan of a bill. Upon receiving the dollar, he
asks someone to write down the serial number and proceeds to call it off
to them. However, he actually calls off the number of the bill inside of
the selected lemon. One will always find it easy to memorize these serial
numbers, or easier yet have them written on his cuff or thumb nail. At
this time the palmed torn corner is placed at the upper corner of the bill,
covered by the thumb.

The upper right corner of the borrowed bill is apparently torn off but
fingers really fold over the corner of the bill and the palmed torn off
corner is brought into view, creating a perfect illusion of having torn the
corner from the borrowed bill. This piece is given to the owner of the bill
as a ‘receipt’ for his money.

Vanishing the bill with any favorite method, the audience is told that the
money has passed into the selected lemon. The spectator now takes it
from his pocket, and the performer hands him a knife or lets him use his
own. Upon cutting it in two, he finds the dollar bill. The serial number is
checked and of course is found to be correct. The torn corner fits perfectly
and the trick is over. To present again it is only necessary to prepare one
lemon as the other two are ready.

EDITOR’S NOTE

I like this effect very much because it is clean and direct in
action. However, one point that I don’t agree with Mr Bush is having the
spectator take the lemon from his pocket and cut it open himself. It would
be better to show the hands convincingly empty and then have the lemon
tossed up and the performer cuts it open and takes out the bill. Handing it
to the owner, the performer has this person read the serial number and the
person who wrote it down verifies it. Then the owner fits the torn corner
and acknowledges that.

Having the spectator find the bill when the performer has never been close
is just too divine, and anyone with as much as one brain will be suspicious
and be sure that it can’t be the same bill.

For a vanish, I might suggest a method I sold several years ago in
connection with a cigarette trick. An envelope with a slit in the back is
used. About three quarters of an inch is torn from the end of a bill.
Then this piece is pasted along the inside edge of the envelope, on the flap
side, so it appears to be a bill inside with part showing. The flap is turned
down and the envelope put inside the pocket. When ready to get rid of,
the bill is held in the right fingers, folded up a number of times and the
left hand brings out the envelope with fingers on back and thumb on the
flap side. Right fingers lift back the flap and insert the bill behind the piece
showing, and at this moment the performer turns slightly to the right so
that the piece can be seen. The fingers have pushed the bill through the slit
into the left fingers behind and this hand goes to the pocket for a match.
Left hand lights a match and sets fire to the bottom of the envelope while
the right hand holds it at the top with the flap still open and the decoy
showing.

Just before the flame gets too near for comfort the flap is turned down and
the envelope dropped onto a dish. The performer’s hands are unmistakably
empty and the illusion created is perfect although at no time is the bill
seen to be burning. Now the lemon is tossed up and cut open.

Personally, I think this version by Mr Bush will be found hard to better.