Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-07-12
NO. 1ti7.
sMisecllaneous.
THE CHESTNUT HARVEST IN THE APEN.
MINES.

The chestnut harvest. which takes place
in October, is the great event of the year
i'll the Apennines, and furnishes recrea-
ton rather than Il task to all classes of
the population. The schools have their
annual vacation in that month, that the
children may assist in it aud it is difficult
to find hands for any extra household
work while pleasant gypsy life goes on
under the trees. The steep woods are
then alive with merry parties picking the
mahogany brown nuts from among the
fallen leaves and dropping them into long
canvas pouches slung at the waist for the
purpose. The boughs are never shaken
to dctatch them. and thegburrs fall singly
a. they ripen, rusling through the leaves,
and breaking the forest silence with
heavy thud as they strike the ground.
They lie till picked up from day to day.
during the appointed time for gathering
them, which lasts a month, and is fixed by
municipal lamation---commonlv from
Michaelmas Day, Sept. %, to the feast oil
Saints Simon and Jude, Oct. 2s, but some
times extended by special request, il the
season be unusually late, for 10 days long
er. Any one wandering off the recog-
nized paths through the woods during
that period is liable to be shot by the pro-
prietor. as in the Swiss vineyards in vim
tage time, but this ,anguinary law seems
to remain dead letter. After the legal
term has expired the woods are free to
the whole world, aud are Invaded by
troops of beggars. cleaning any chance
belated chestnuts. which. falling now, are
the prize of the first conner, Those which
drop at any time on road passable for
wheeled vehicles are also public property
and, us the highway runs through chest
nut woods, the poor have little harvest
by the roadside. The proprietors OF
woods too extensive for the gathering to
be done bv the members of their own
household, engage number of girls to
assist, giving them food and lodging for
10 days, and to each two sacks of chest
nut flour on her departure.
After their days work in the woods they
are expected to spin or weave in the even
ing for the benefit of the housewife, who
thus gets her winter supply of yarn or lin
en- pretty well advanced in this month.
The poorer girls look forward to being
employ ed in this way rs great treat. and
will often throw up other occupations
rather than lose it. In a fine season it is
indeed sufficiently pleasant, tor the lovely
weather of dry October among these Tus-
can highlands makes open-air life nnal-
loyed pleasure but, on the other hand,
one can hardly coniure up more dismal
picture than that presented by the dripping
chestnut woods if the autumn rains have
chosen that month for their own, when the
floods of heaven thresh down the withered
leaves rs they fall, and the soaked burrs
have to be tished out of the swirling yell
low torrents that furfow the ground in all
directions. Wet or dry, however, October,
unless the yield be exceptionally seanty
is season of abundance and rejoicing
through the country, while the peasants
consume the fresh chestnuts by the sack
full, not roasted, as they are eaten in the
cities. but plainly boiled and eaten hot
from the husk. The great mass are spread
on the floors of the drying g-houses-blin
deserted-looking buildings scattered
through the woods for this purpose. and
which in the autumn seem to smolder in
ternally, as the smoke of the fire lit TO eX-
tract the moisture from the fresh chestnuts
escapes II rough all the interstices Of the
roof and walls. From the drying-house
they are taken TO the mill and ground into
fartnd doice. a fine meal of pinkish color
and sckly-sweet flavor. which forms the
staple food of the population. From this
they make potenfa, or porridge, in other
districts made from Indian meal and Recci,
round cakes baked between chestnut
leaves, which are kept and dried for the
purpose, with the result of imparting Il
slightly pungent flavor of smoke that the
stranger will hardly find an improvement
Other delicacies, too, are made from the
chestnut-tlour, such rs cakes covered with
chocolate and sugar but none are likely
to commend themselves to Northern pal
ates C0rnhW Noq0yine.