Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1878-12-04
NuT-PINE FORESTS.
Picturesque Indian Nutttne Parties OF
Nevada--0etting in . winters Sup.
ply.

Every mOuutAlu, uOWever I6r IL SWe
into the sky, seems utterly barren. A
preaching nearer, low, brushy grow,
is seems, strangely black in aspect,
though il had been burned. This is
nut-pine forest, the bountiful orchard
the red man. When you ascend into !
midst you find the ground beneath Il
trees, and in the openings, also, nearl
naked, and mostly rough on the surfac
A succession C crumbling ledges (
lava, Limestone, slate and quartzit.
coarsely ssrewn with soil weathered frol
them by storms and sunshine; here an
there a bunch of sage or linosyris, or
purple cluster or tuft of dry bunch gras
The harshess mountain sides, hot an
waterless, seem best adapted to its deve
opnent. No slope is too steep, none to
dry; every situation seems to be grats
fully chosen, if only to be successful
rocky and firm to afford secure anchor
age for the tough, grasping roots. 1t
sturdy, thick-set little tree, usual,
about s feet high when full grown, an,
about as broad as high, holding its knott,
branches well OUT in every direction ii
stiff zigzags, but turning them gracefully
upward at the ends in rounded bosses
Though making 80 dark u mass in ths
distance, the foliage is a pale grayish
green, in stiff, awl- shaped fasicles. When
examined closely these round needle.
seem inclined TO be two-leaved, but they
are mostly held firmly together, as if tl
guard against evaporation. The BARI
on the older sections is nearly black, SC
that the boles and branches are clearly
traced against the prevailing gray of thu
mountains on which they delight te
dwell.
The value of this species to Nevada il
not easily overestimated. 1t furnishes
fuel, charcoal and timber for the mines,
and together with the enduring juniper,
50 generally associated with it, supplies
the ranches with abundance of firewood
and fencing. Many square mile has
already been denuded in supplying these
demands, but so great is the area covered
by it, no appreciable loss has as yet been
sustained. 1t is pretty generally known
that this tree yields edible nuts, but
their Importance and excellance as
human food is infinitely greater than is
supposed. In fruitful seasons like this
one, the pine nut crop OF Nevada is
perhaps greater than the entire wheat
crop of California, concerning which SO
much is said and felt throughout the
food markets of the world. The Indians
alone appreciate this portion of nature a
bounty, and celebrate the harvest home
with feasting and dancing. The cones,
which are bright grass-green in color
and about two inches long by one and a
half in diameter, are beaten off with
poles just before the scales open, gathered
in heaps of several bushels, and lightly
sc0rched by burning thin covering Of
over them. The resin with
which the cones are bedraggled is thus
burned OF, the nuts slightly roasted, and
the scales made to open. Then they are
allowed to dry in the SUN, after which
the nuts are easily threshed out and
ready to be stored away. They are about
half an inch long by quarter of an inch
in diameter, pointed at the upper end,
rounded at the base, light brown in gen.
eral color, and handsomely dotted with
purple, like birds eggs. The shells are
thin, and may be crushed between the
thumb and finger. The kernels are
white and waxy-looking, becoming
brown by roasting, sweet and delicate to
every palate, snd are eaten by birds,
squirrels, dogs, horses and men. When
the crop is abundant the Indians bring
in large quantities for sale; then they
are eaten around every fireside in the
state, and oftentimes fed to horses in.
stead Of barley. Looking over the whole
none of natures bounties
seems to me 80 great as this in the way
OF foOd-none 80 little appreciated.
Fortunately for the Indians and wild
animals that gather around natures
board, this crop is not easily harvested
in a monopolizing way. If it could be
gathered like wheat, the whole would be
carried away and dissipated in towns,
leaving the brave inhabitants of these
wilds to starve. Long before the har-
vest time, which is in September and
October, the Indians examine the trees
with keen discernment, and, inasmuch
ps the cones require two years to mature
from the first appearance of the little
red rosettes of the fertile flowers, the
scarcity or abundance of the crop may
be predicted more than Q year in ad-
vance. Sqairrels and worms and CLARK
crows make haste to begin the harvest.
The Indians make ready their long beat
ing poles; baskets, bags, rags and mats
are gotten together. The squaws, out
among the settlers at service, washing
and drudging, assemble at the family
huts; the men leave their rancho work,
all, old and young, are mounted on po.
nies, and set of in great glee to the nut
lands, forming cavalcades curiously pic
turesque; flaming scarfs and calico shirts
stream loosely over the knotty ponies,
usually two squaws astride Of each, with
the small baby midgets bandaged in bas-
kets slung ON their backs or balanced on
The saddle bow, while the nut-bags and
water-jars project from either side, and
the long beating poles, like old-fashioned
lances, angle out in every direction.
Arriving at some central point already
fixed upon, where water and grass are
found, the squaws with baskets, the men
with poles, ascend the ridges to the
laden trees, followed BY the children;
beating begins with loud noise and chat
ter; the burrs fly right and left, lodging
against stones and sage brushes; the
.quaws and children gather them with
6ne natural gladncss; smoke columns
speedily mark the joyful scene Of their
abors as the roasting fires are kindled;
md, at night, assembled in circles, gar
rulous as jays, the first grand nut feast
. begun. Sufficient quantities are thus
obtained in few weeks to last all winter
They also gather several species Of ber-.
les and dry them to vary their stores,
md few deer and grouse are killed on
he mountains, besides immense num-
,ers Of rabbits and hares; but pine nuts
IRE their main dependence-their staA
# life, their bread -Sans Er1Hcisco Bul,
6pontaueous Incubation.
An Adams Center, N. r., correspond-
mt says: An odd case Of what might
,e called spontaneous incubation lately
in the farm yard Of A. q.
ilsss, near this place. They. had heard
or two or three days the cry Of young
and searched for then n vain,
lntil It last It va found that the nOine