The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-17
rHE NrrpwE FORESTS OF NrvADA.
Picturesque Indian Nutting Partiss-esttiag
In Winters supply.


F.40, ", I,,.giao Bdi.'is.
Every mountain, however far it swcls
into the sky. seems utterly barren. Approach
ihg uearer low brushy growth il seen.
strangely black IN aspect. a. though 1t had been
burned Ths If a nut pine forest. the bouut
ful orchard of the red iunn Nheu you ascend
into It's midst you hnd tue ground beneath the
tr09s. and ia the o,gulugs, also. nearly naked.
aud mostly rough ON tho surface. A succession
ofcrumblne lodges OF lava. limestone. slate and
quartzte coarsly strewn with soil weathered
from thcm by storms and sunshine: here and
there a bunch of sage or linosyrls. or hpurple
cluster or wv ol iry puu'h Efass. / ne nhIsncs.
mountain sides. hot and wnterloss. seem best
ndniitd to rs developments No slope Is too
-t'cp. hone too dry; every situation seenis to bo
gratefully chosen. N only II be- sufficiently
rocky and nrm To- AFFORD secure anchorage for
the tough. grtsping rOuis. II - sturdy, thick
SGT little trrn ieunlly about is feet high when
fun grown. and about NJ broad as hiRh. holding
lis knotty branches well out In every direction
In III lig1iEs. but iurnlnEthcm gracefully ub-
wnr'l NJ tile ends In rounded bosses. Though
making 50 dark mass IN the distance, me 70
liu.r Is pule grnyish green. IN SIN, awl-
shaped iusrlrs. Whom examined closely these
round needles seeiu INCLINED TO b" twQ-leaNel,
but they are mostly held lrinly together, as II
~ guard ugnin-t evaporation. The bnrk on tho
older sections II nerrly black. 50 that the bOlus
and branches arc clearly traced against the pre-
| Willing gray IT the mountains ON which they
The value ~ this species to Nevada ia not
| easily oycrcstimn,rd. II furnishes fuel. char
| coul. and timber for the mines. and together
| with the enduring juniper. SO generally associ-
nted with 1t. supplies the ranches with album
| dance of ilrcwood and fencing. Many square
! mile has already boon denuded in supplying
| these demands. but so great is the area covered
| by II. no Improbable loss Inns ~ yet been sue-
! timed. u - pretty generally Known that this
/ tree yields edible nuts but their importance and
/ eXcellcnc" ~ human food n Infinitely greater
! than is supposed In fruitful seasons like tins
! one the pine nut crop uf Nevada Is perhaps
] pr IOlIfgr-
! MIA. concerning which 80 much IL said aud
! FELT throughout the food markets OF the
world Tho Indians alone appreciate this
| portion Of natures bounty, and celebrate
| the harvest home with dancing and fcast-
| ing. The cones, which nre n bright Rrass-
green in color and about two inches long
| hy one and "A half In diameter. are beaten on
with poles Just before the scales open, gathered
IN heaps of several bushels. and lightly scorched
| by burning thin covering OF brushwoOd oyer
! them. The resin with which the cones are be-
| dragglcd IL thus burned Off. the nuts slightly
| roasted and the scales made to open. Then
| they are allowed TO dry IN the sun. aftor which
| the nuts are easily tnreshed out and arc ready
10 be stored away They are about hall an inch
| long by quarter Of an inch IN diameter point
I'd al the upper end. rounded NJ the base. light
! brown in general color. and handsomely dotted
| with purple. Ike BIRDS eggs. Ihe shells nrs
| thin and mny be crushed between the thumt
pad finger The kcTnes are white aud waNy,
looking. becoming brown by roasting. sweet
and delicious 20 every palate. and are eaten bJ
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 nresido IN the State. and oltcntmes fec
90 horses instead Of barley.
| Looking over the whole continent. none o.
natures hounties seem To me 50 great rs this ~
the way of lnod-none 50 little, appreciated
Fortunately for tho Indians and wild animals
that gather around natures board. this crop i
not easily harvested IN IA monopolizng way. !
Il could be gathered like wheat, the whole woult
be carried away and disaipated in towns. leav
ing the brave inhabitants OF these wllds Z
starve. Long before the harvest time. which II
in Septen her and October the Indians examin,
the trees Sith Keen assortment. and, innsmucl
rs the cone require two ycnrs 10 mature from
the first app araucc Of the little red rosettes o
the fertile flowers the scarcity or abundance o
the crop may be predicted more than year IL
advance. Squirrels and worms and Clark crow
make haste To- begin the harvest. The lndiRni
make ready their long beating poles; bask
bags. rags. mats are gotten together. The
-luaws, out among tho settlers at service. wash
ing and drudging. assemble at TIE family nuts
the men leave their ranch work. all old nnt
| young. are mounted on ponies, and set on II
great glee TO the nut lnnds. forming cavalcnde,
skirts stream loosely over the knouy ponies
usually two sduaws astride OF each, with th'
| small hnby mldgets bandagod in baskets slunl
on their backs or balnnc upon the saddle bow
while the nut baskets and water Jars proJec
IRON either side ana inc long beating poles llk
/ od-iashionrd anc's. angle out IN every direc
ton. Arrived AT sume central point nlraad
fixed upon. whore water and grass are found. m
squaws with baskets the men with poles, aseenI
the ridges 10 the laden trees. followed by IN
children beating begins with loud noise am
| chatter: the hurrs ny right and loft lodgini
ayalns, stones and sage brushes the sGuaw
ami children gather them with line natura
cladness smoke columns speedily mark IN
Joyful scene Of their lahOrs as tho roasting fire
are kindled and, u, night assembled IN circles
gnrru.ous rs luys, tho ngst grand nut Teas
ia begun Sufficient quantities are thus obtaine
In a lew weeks 10 last al winter. They ais
gather several species ~ berries and dry then
20 vary their stores. and few deer and grous
arc Killed on The mountains. beside immens
numbers ~ rabbits and heres; but the pin
nuts are their main Experimentation stan Z
life, their brcai.