Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1908-12-19
Ny0I WDLE00O NU2 PRE0OE7y7, N0 g COURTROOM.


ton Of nuts throughout the United
States augurs well for better appre-
citation of their food value. The
time when nuts were considered
merely as luxury, or as something
10 be eaten out of hand at odd times,
is rapidly passing away. In earlier
days the native hickories, butternuts,
walnuts, chestnuts, pecans, and many
other nuts found in the United States
were to be had in country regions for
the gathering and were of no com
mercial Importance. On the other
hand, the English walnuts (to give
them their most common name), al
monds, cocoanuts, etc. brought from
other countries, were relatively ex-
pensive luxuries.
Some nuts, like the native hazelnut
and beechnut, still have practically
no commercial value and, though pal
atable, are almost never offered for
sale, doubtless because they are so
small and difficult to gather in guam
tity. The chinquapin, small nut al
lied to the chestnut, finds a limited
sale in southern cities, but is doubt
less seldom if ever seen in other
markets. In general, however, condi-
tons have changed and our principal
native nuts are now staple market
commodities and bring good prices. AT
the same time, owing to changes in
market conditions, and to the growing
Of foreign nuts in quantity in this
country, the price of the imported nuts
has dropped SO that they are well
within the reach of the majority
From available statistics it appears
that in 1905 the total quantity of al
monds, cocoanuts, Brazil nuts, fllberts,
peanuts, walnuts and other nuts,
shelled and unshelled, imported into
the United States was, in round num-
bers, S623S, 900 pounds. with q value
of S6,13S,000 In 1905 the total almond
crop in California reached 100000
pounds and the walnut crop 12,S00,000
pounds. The richest yield of peanuts
was reported from the southern states,
chiefly Virginia, Georgia and Tennes-
see, and amounted to- 225,000, 900
pounds.
The total quantity of homegrown
nuts, including both native and intro
duced varieties, must far exceed the
quantities imported, but in the nature
of the case no estimates of the total
quantities gathered and eaten are pro-
durable. When we consider the con-
stantly increasing demand for nuts
and the large quantity which we i'm
port from other countries, the posi-
bflities of the industry for the Ameri-
can nut grower are obvious. AS the
use of nuts has increased, many per-
sons have turned their attention to the
growing of native and foreign nuts on
a commercial scale This work has
been forwarded by the department of
agriculture, through the bureau Of
plant industry, and by the California,
Florida, Michigan and other agricul-
tural experiment stations. With nuts,
as with other crops, it has been found
that, by selection and breeding, i'm
proved varieties are obtainable, of
larger size, better flavor, thinner
shells, or other desirable character
istics.
The increased demand for nuts is
due in the main to two causes, namely,
a better appreciation of their appetiz
ing qualities and the numerous ways
in which they form palatable addi
ton to the diet of the average family,
and, secondly, to their use by the vege-
tarians and persons of similar belief
a group small in proportion to the
total population, but still fairly large
numerically-who use nuts, and more
particularly the peanut, as substitute
for meat and other heterogeneous and
fatty foods.
Even a cursory examination of the
journals devoted to cookery and other
branches of home economics and of
the various books which are published
on the subject will show the fairly
general use of nuts for making soups,
for stuffing poultry, for nut buffers,
nut salads, cakes. sailed nuts, and