The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-01-25
THE EARN.
CULTURE OF NUT BEARING TREES.

CULTURE OF NUT BEARING TREES.
Among the people of Spain there is an
old saying, that has long since become
proverb, and the proverb by long use has
gained the force of a law, that che who
eats fruit by the wayside shall plant the
seed" The result of the time honored
custom is that throughout that land the
highways and travelled paths are lined with
fruit-trees of every kind native to the coun-
try. These trees are always treated with
the greatest consideration and care by
travellers, whose fruit they are always at
liberty to gather, it being free to all. Not
only in Spain, France aad Germany, but
throughout all Southern Europe, careful
attention is given to the cultivation of all
frut-producing, and nut bearing trees
With the peasantry, particularly those that
live among the mountains, nuts constitute
an important article of diet, being eaten
raw or dried, ground and mixed with flour
and baked into cakes; beside they consti-
tute an important article of trade, being
sold in the shops and afterward exported.
The value of nuts as an article of food is
further evident from the fact, that in the
wild and unsettled portions OF our Western
Territories and in Mexico, many tribes of
Indians subsist during some portions OF
the wear, almost wholly on nuts that are
native to the district. They collect them
in large quantities, drying and storing them
away for winter use.
In all countries, and in all times, have
nuts been extensively used as food; and
every kind, from the cocoa-nut of the palm
to the hazle-nut that grows by the wayside,
has been pressed into service for mans sus-
tenance. In Italy and Greece, most re-
freshing and palatable article Of food is
made by chopping and mixing nuts and
figs in about equal parts. This mixture is
nodded into small cakes, and sold with
other refreshments in the shops. These
cakes are called "fg cheese" and are
much used by the people when travelling.
Besides the great amount of nuts consum-
ed in these countries, large quantities are
annually exported. From the Spanish port
of Barcelona there are sold for expectation
10000 bushels annually, $4,000 bushels OF
which are sent to Great Britain. The
Black Sea ports send yearly to the British
Islands 6S, 900 bushels of hazel-nuts, while
the other ports Of the Mediterranean send
90. 900 bushels of chestnuts to the same
place. England also imports annually
4, 600 bushels of Brazil nuts These, add
ed to the immense supplies imported into
this and other countries, give some indica-
ton of the value of nuts as food, and OF
their Importance commercially considered.
In this country but little account has as
yet been taken of the products OF our nut
trees. They are all indigenous to the coun-
try and widely distributed, being found in
considerable variety in all the States and
Territories. They consist chiefly of the
hickory, chestnut, walnut, butternut, ha-
zelnut, beech-nut, and few others. I'm
til within few years these nuts were
abundant and cheap, and it is only of late
that the idea of short supply has entered
into the minds of either consumers or
dealers. On careful inquiry, it is found
that the supply of native American nuts
brought to our market yearly has been
gradually diminishing, Notwithstanding
the facilities for collecting and transport
ing them have yearly increased. This is
especially the case with some of the choice
varieties of the hickory-nut, as the kiskat-
om-nut, for instance, which, ten years
since, was abundant; now, hard to be pro-
cured, though as high as $40 per bushel is
often offered for it. The cause, to large
extent, is doubtless owing to the whole
sale destruction Of our forests that for SO
many years has been going on.
Farmers in our Eastern and Middle States
are often tempted by large price to part
with their young chestnut. or fine old hick-
DRY trees, forgetting that the value of the
nuts they produce would be a very large
interest on the amount they receive for
them. Evidently, with the wanton de-
struction of our forests, and the sale by the
farmers of the few trees that are still scat
tered over the lands in the older settled
States, we shall soon be restricted to very
limited supply of native nuts, unless some
efficient plan be devised whereby the few
we have can be preserved, and the number
largely increased by planting. The discus
sions relative to forest culture that al pres
ent are engaging the attention of agricul-
turists throughout the country ought also
to embrace the subject of nut culture.
In the planting of trees for shade and
ornament along highways, would it not be
wise to plant nut bearing trees, which shall
afford both fruits and shade rather than
those that will furnish shade alone? Why
not plant on our Western prairies the chest
nut, walnut, butternut and hickory, in |
place of the poplar, white maple. and cot |
tonwood? The former are as rapid grow
ers as the latter, beside producing better
timber, together with crops of valuable |
nuts.
In California the subject of cultivating !
the almond has received some attention,
and few orchards have been planted
The success attending the efforts made in |
nut culture have thus far been encourage
ing, and we hope the agricultural and hor-
ticultural journals throughout the country,
will call public attention to this important
branch of production, giving it what it
demands, the freest and fullest discussion. |
NJ. NJ FRIssELLE.
Kingston on the Hudson.
EnlYIS