The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-10-31
WHEN BROWN NUTS DROP"
BY AGNES CARR SAGE.

All through the mellow, golden
weather Of early autumn every healthy
country boy, girl, and squirrel is look
ing forward to the approach of Master
Jack Frost and the day.
"When the sound ofdropping nuts is heard,
though all the trees are still"
and when it comes 1t last, what a
rustling there is among the dry leaves
in the woodland paths as young Great
ureS, whether on two feet or on four,
go gay'y scampering toward the kings
of the forest, now scattering down a
royal dover Of glossy brown chestnuts,
sweet meatcd shagbarks, or the queer
little three cornered beech nuts, like a
fairy's cooked hat
OF all the picnics of the year, these
nutting excursions are the very jolliest,
and the woods resound with glad young
voices as the boys beat the brancle s
and the girls gather the shower of nutty
treasures-not forgetting, | hope, to
leave share tor the timid, bright eyed
chipmuhks which are the gardeners of
our wild woods, and SOW the seed from
which spring many of our most stately
oak and hickory trees.
1t may be interesting for the young
nut pickers to know something of the
various kinds Of fruit they are storing
away in their bags and baskets, for a
nut means simply hard -shelled one
seeded fruit.
The most extensive nutting frolics in
the world are held in the Apennines,
and the chestnut harvest, which takes
place in October, is the great event of
the year among the peasants of the
little mountain villages. Schools have
their annual vacation at this season,
and parents and children all go to lead
a pleasant gypsy life on the nutting
grounds for whole month, generally
from September 20 to October IS, the
time being fixed by municipal procla-
nation. Each person wears a long
carvas pouch tied about his or her
waist to pick into, and it must be a
pretty sight to see the picturesque cos
tunes fitting among the trees, now
glorious with rich autumnal tints, the
eager faces of the swarthy, dark-eyed
little ones, and the bonfres lighting up
the hill sides, over which they boil the
fresh chestnuts, and eat them hot from
the husk.
These nuts are much larger than
ours, but are not so sweet, and they
are never shaken or beaten from the
tree, but allowed to fall as they ripen.
The greater portion are spread to dry
on the floors of drying houses, desc
late looking buildings, which are built
in the woods for this purpose, and in
which low fire shoulders, to extract
the moisture from the fresh chestnuts
When dry they are taken to the mill
and ground into fine flour, of which
the peasants make boltnta, or porri,lge,
and round cakes called uccci that are
baked between chestnut leaves.
Chestnuts are now general favorites,
although in former times the patricians
of ancient Rome greatly scorned them,
probably considering them as too vul-
gar tor their refined taste.
The chestnut tree is always beauti-
full, whether decked with its clusters of
delicate blossoms, hung with green
balls, or yielding its bountiful harvest.
1t often attains gigantic dimensions,
but the largest one on record was one
that stood at the foot of Mount Etna,
in Sicily, and measured 2o4 feet in
circumference. 1t is said that COM
pany of a hundred cavalry once found
a refuge in its hollow trunk, from which
it was called the Chestnut of the Hun
bred Horsemen.
The hickory nut, or shay bark, is the
best for winter use, on account of its
keeping qualities, and it is always as
ISOLATED in our minds with a roaring
fire, rosy checked apples, and sweet
sparkling cider. This is the true
Thanksgiving and Christmas nut, and
it is prime favorite with the squirrel
tribe, the wise little bushy-tails always
laying up goodly store of these to
last until spring and fresh roots come
together.
If you will examine the outer cover
ing or husk of the hickory nut, you
will see that it has no regular opening,
but in drying it cracks irregularly, al
lowing the nut to fall out, while butter
nuts and black walnuts have to be for
chilly removed from their outer coats.
This is . distinguishing feature between
the two kinds, (a,ya and /Meh,ns, the
hickories belonging to the former and
the black walnuts to the latter.
Juglans is Latin word, a compound
of Jovis and CLANS, nut. 1t means a
nut of Jupiter. The ancients gave it
this name in token of their apprecia-
ton of these rich, highly favored nuts,
and the valuable wood of the walnut
tree. Walnut is corruption of Gaul
mt or the mt of Caul or Franco