The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-09-29
Acorns.

Acorns are the fruit or nut of the oak,
of which there are about 100 species
distributed over the globe, but mostly in
temperate climates. In ancient times
Rorne. according to Strabo, was supplied
with pork. fatteneG mainly on the mast
in tbe forests of Gaul, and the poor
neonle in the mountains of Spain made
acorn meal, from which coarse and whole
some bread and cakes were made, az is
now done by Italian peasants. Pliny.
who riyes more minute descriptions of
tie various species of oaks and their
friIit. SAYS (Liber 16, chap. > that in
SDain acornS were often brought to the
table for desert but it is possible he re-
ferred TO the chestnut, or some similar
nut although it IS well known that the
aeorns of the cork oak OF the south of
Europe are of much milder flavor than
those of more northern species. The
same difference is noticeable in the oak
fruit of this country the acorns of the
live oak of the Southern States being
more palatable than those If the white
or black oaks OF the North Acorns
were formerly considered of much value
in Great Britain for feeding swine, and
were sometimes used as food by the
hardy race of men living there. About
the end of the seventh century King Ina
issued an order regulating the fattening
of swine with acorns or mast by his Saxon
subjects, and 4 century later Elphelmus
reserved the pawnage or pasturage of
200 hogs as 4 part Of his lady's dowry.
Mast, as wild nuts came to be called in
| later years, was much valued through
out Great Britain, rs it had long been
Ga the Contnen1. and Edward the Con-
lessor, IN 1850, mentions or gives GER
tain quantity in one OF his donations. In
the time of William the Conqueror the
woods of England were surveyed and
valued in proportion to the number of
swine that could be fattened on their
acorns, the oak being then valued most
~ for its fruit. The Norman kings, in
their love for the chase, sometimes in
truded upon private domains and took
from their owners The right of pawnage,
or gathering the mast therefr0m.
tamines have sometimes been in
creased in severity. If not caus ed, by the
failure of the mast crop. At the time of
the great famine in England in 1116 it
IS recorded that among crops falling
that year that of mast was very deficient.
winch made scarcity of meat. and in
consequence added much to the distress
OF the people In the early settlement
OF America the acorn crop was named as
one of the good things found in the new
country, and pioneers in I'll the wooded
sections of the United States have found
the mast OF much value, and in many
sectiops mast-fattened pork is not I'M
common at the present time. which pos
sesses sweet and delicate favor OF its
own, and if not quite 50 firm and solid
IS that produced from Indian corn, has
as compensation the fact that it costs
less to raise
Acorns are of two dist let classes,
these being annual and biennial fruiting.
1 The English oak and also our native
white, kblirr, post, ovcr-cup, live and
4 chestnut oaks blossom in the spring and
/ perfect their fruit in the same year but
/ the acorns of the willow. single and
water oaks are not mature,l until the end
! OF the second season. In regions where
/ these last-named species predominate
! there win usually be a great abundance
/ OF fruit one year and but little the next,
/ the trees appearing TO affiliate as do
] apple trees in an orchard, all giving full
/ crops in the bearing year without regard
! 10 their aye or other conditions There
] IS also great difference in the qualities
/ OF the acorns of the two classes. those Of
the annual bearers being much sweeter
~ less bitter than those of the others.
i'll also often be noticed that the
Of trees of the same species grow
80. Eogether frequently vary con-
80 q hapeand although
HiOns may not be greater than
N other wild nut trees, they are
~ marked and well known. We re-
/ iWmbcr two white oaks that stood side
/ by side in 4 pasture; the acorns of one
were of such excellent flavor that
I the boys Of the neighborhood neyer
/ allowed them TO remain ungathered.
/ while those of the other were left for ami
mails of less fastidi0us taste. RaccoonS.
bears and the various species of deer. rs
well as many of the smaller animals, are
very fond Of acorns, and the same may
be said of all the larger granivorous
birds such as turkeys, partridges and
blackbirds
In these days of collections one of
acorns would he among the most credit
able, and we doubt not any who would
undertake 20 make one of the varieties
to be found in their own immediate vi
entity would be surprised at their num-
Der He who will during the coming
year make such \ collection, and then
make himself acquainted with the pecu-
liarities of the tree that bore each, its
habits OF growth, value for timber APP
pearance of wood and foliage, and other
points in which it differs from other oaks,
will obtain a fund of information with
which he would not willingly party,
Sun.