Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-04-30


nuts and other fruits of the country shall
be presented to the young maid who is
crowned; which proves the tree to have
been already naturalized in that part of
France.
The walnut is common throughout the
center of Europe: but it flOurishes most
in the western and southern departments
of France. in Spain and in Italy. which
approaches nearest to the latitude in
which it grows naturally. In France it
is only in the West and South. where the
vegetation of the walnut is perfectly Sc
cure from frost, that its wood is of SUI
peror quality, and that its fruit is regu-
larly yielded in sufficient abundance to
become an article of commerce.
The European walnut is one of the tall
est and most beautiful among fruit trees.
and one of the most remarkable for the
amplitude of its summit and the thick
ness of its shade On the trunk of old
trees, which frequently are several feet
in diameter. the bark is thick and deeply
furrowed; on the upper branches it is
gray and smooth, good deal resembling
that of the butternut. The leaves are
borne by long petioles, and are compos-
ed of two, three. and sometimes four pair
of leaflets. surmounted by an odd one.
The leaflets are oval and smooth: when
bruised they eXhale a strong aromatic
odor. In the extreme heat of summer
the enanationS from the walnut are so
powerful as to produce unpleasant effects
on some persons if they slumber in its
shade.
The flowers of the common European
walnut like those of the black walnut
and butternut. appear before the unfold
ing of the leaves; the barren ones in sim
gle, pendulous, imbricated aments, the
fertile ones on separate branches. at the
end of the young shoots. and commonly
in pairs. The fruit is green and oval.
and i'll the natural state contains small
hard nut. In the most esteemed cultiva-
ted species. the fruit is oval and strongly
odoriferouS. about an inch and twO-thrdS
IL
an inch and half in diameter. The nut
occupies twO-thirds of its volume.
, Toward autumn the huSk softens. and
decaying from about the nut. allows it tC
fall. The shell is slightly channelled
, and so thin as to be easily crushed by the
t fingers. The kernel is of "A very agreea.
bic taste: it is large, covered with "A fine
pellicle. and separated by a thin partition
, which may readily be detached botl
from the shell and from the kernel.
| The nuts are better-tasted and easier
| of digestion soon after their maturity
| than later in the season. when the oily
r prnclple becomes perfectly formed; they
, are then oppressive. if immoderatel,
eaten.
y dessert of an excellent relish is made
by extracting the kernels a fortnight be
fore they are ripe. and seasoning then
with the juice of green grapes and salt
They should be thrown into water a
, soon as they are taken from the she'll
and allowed TO remain till the momen
when they are seasoned to be set upon
the table. They are sold in Paris by til,
name of CerneauX, and greater quaint
ty of wanutS is consumed in this way by
people in easy circumstances than afte
! they are perfectly ripe: the use of then
. is then almost exclusively confined t,
the lower classes.
The common walnut is more multiplied
! in the departments of France which lii
, between the 4jth and 18th degrees O
. latitude than in any other part of Europe
, In these departments it is planted in tn
> midst of cultivated fields, like the apple
, tree for cider in those of the north an,
the center: the fruit. the oil and tn
wood, may be considered as forming on
of their principal branches of commerce
In extracting the oil of walnuts, Ger
y tain delicate attentions are necessary t.
ensure its fineness. When the fruit i
. gathered and the nuts are separated iron
the husks, they should be kept dry an,
. occasionally moved till they are used
The proper time for the operation is a
!
: change by which the muclage of tn
. fruit is converted into oil has becom
completely effected, and by longer della,
~, the kernel grows rancid and the oil is o
= "A vitiated quality. The nut i, cracke
! by striking it on the end with small
= mallett, and pains are taken not to bruis
the kernel. The slight ligneous part
ton is detached, and such kernels rs ar
partially spoiled are selected and throw
3 aside. The sound kernels. thus cleare
:. from every particle of the shell, Shoul
be sent Immediately to the mill. az the
=. soon become rancid by exposure to tn
% air They are crushed by vertical ston
which turns in circular trough, and
moved by a horse or by current of wa
= ter. The paste is next enclosed in bag
of strong linen and submitted to tn
n press. The oil which flows under thi
first pressure without the application o