The evening times., 1899-12-27
THE cAsHEW NUT.
Pfans of the Department of AHri-
culture to CROW Ii.


culture to Grow II.
The Department Of Agriculture has se-
cured a stock of cashew seeds, which are
being propagated In greenhouses to be dis
tributed in the Southern States for expert
mental work Frederick V. Coville, Chief
Botanist, recently received a number Of the
cashew nuts in cans. prepared for use. The
edible portion Of the nut is about an inch
in length and tapers and curves at one end
so that II has the appearance Of a mina-
ture cornucopia. Roasted. it Is very brittle
and mealy. and the favor is suggestive OF
the roasted almond. II has. however. dis
tinct favor. which Is rather mild than 9TH
erwise from any Of the common nuts.
Prof. Coville stated that there is practi
cally no market for the nut In the United
States now because 1t has never been intro
duced. But there is no apparent reason
why II cannot be grown as successfully in
Cuba and Porto Rico as well as the Phil
ippines as in Jamaica. where the nut is
roasted and canned for European and South
American trade. Its propagation will first
be undertaken In the Southern States, and
it is more than likely that the cashew nut
will soon be seen among American delica-
cies. 49,.
The cashew tree belongs to the same
family as the poison ivy. The covering OF
the nut contains a black oily juice in a
network OF fibre between the outer and
inner layers of which the shell is composed
which gives painful results when brought
in contact with the human skin. II the
nuts be eaten raw. although there Is little
of the poisonous principle contained in the
edible portion, the lips and tongue become
bIistered and swelling occurs. and the
effects are precisely the same as those due
to toxicodendrol which is the poisonous
principle of the ivy plant.
BY roasting, this oil is volatilized and
passes away in fumes. The roasting is
done before the shells are removed. and it
must be very carefully done. for if the heat
be not sufficient some of the poison will
remain behind and il il be too great the
nuts will be injured by burning. The
acridity of the fumes that pass away from
the ovens often causes the most painful
blistering of the face and hands. accom-
panied by swelling. of the men and women
who engage in the preparation Of the nuts
for market
After the nuts have been roasted they |
are spread on long tables around which |
Si' women. boys. and girls, who open |
hem by hand. The kernels are then plac- |
I'd in cans holding from a pint to two |
quarts and which are closed with solder. |
No preservatfves are added to the nuts as !
he roasting and icing placed in air. tight |
prevents them from becoming |
'ancid. The cashew tree is rather large
Ind is somewhat like the American wal
Tut in it's appearance. 1t is most beauti-
ul in the spring when it is completely
,overe.i with flowers Of rosy hue. The
tut grows very peculiarly at the end OF a
arge. feshy pear-shaped receptacle about !
weuty times the size of the nut.
Tho nf This ft,rp oh y,,s1 1lrvl |
uice which is used in the manufacture
II a varnish. The brown Japan varnish
S derived from tree of the same family,
which is also very poisonous. the men
working over the watts being sometimes
eyerely poisoned by the fumes.