St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1909-10-09
NUTS ARE POPULAR
THEIR USE AS FOOD IS GROWING
IN THIS COUNTRY.
immigrants from Southern Europe
and the Orient Like Then1-soms
of the Varieties Which Are
Considered Most Delicious.

The growing popularity Of nuts for
food and the number OF new sorts III
troduced in recent years to the notice
of people in this country Is ascr1Ded
by experts of the department OF agrl-
culture to the influx of immigrants
from the southern nations OF Europe
and the orient.
"Pinenuts, for example" said
member of the plant industry bureau
Of the department, (which grow IN
the cones of certain varieties OF ma
tive and foreign pines, are now fairly
common in our markets. 1t is facr
that the Indians have always known
and appreciated them. They are
small, rather pointed and white, and
are usually marketed shelled, but as
they grow they are covered with q
more or less hard, woody shell.
"The pistache nut, now grown In
California, has long been used and Is
priced by confectioners for its deli
cate flavor and attractive green color,
yet it is by no means common. The
nuts are small, not unlike bean in
size and shape, though more pointed.
and before marketing are freed from
the pods in which they grow. The
individual nuts are covered with a
gray or purplish skin and are
blanched before they are used.
THE so-called lichi nut, which is
really a dried fruit, surrounded by a
nutlike shell and not unlike raisin
in flavor, is a favorite in China, and
has become common in this country
The ginkgo nut, the fruit of an orna-
mental tree widely known in the
United States and sometimes called
the maiden-hair tree from the shape
of the leaves and which fruits abund-
Rntly in some regions, is seldom eaten
except by the Chinese, who gather it
whenever possible. The small, round
ish, oval, thin-shelled nut is sur
rounded by very acrid, bad-smelling
pulp, the whole fruit being not I'M
like a green damson plum in size and
appearance.
I'm China, Korea and other parts of
the orient this nut is much used as
a food, and so far as can be learned
is always cooked In some way.
Roasted like peanut, it is palatable.
The ginkgo nuts are on sale in vari-
GUS Chinese shops in the large cities.
THE water chestnut or horn
chestnut, an aquatic plant, produces
seed which somewhat resembles two
curved horns united into one, the ker-
Vn Al IF rxThi oh fS 7or
by the. inhabitants of Asiatic coun-
tries. 1t is on sale in the United
States to certain extent, but chiefly
in Chinese shops.
Another water plant is also known
as the water chestnut, but in this
case it is the corn or bulb that is
eaten. 1t is not unlike chestnut
in shape, and has tough brown skin.
This is grown in Asia, but it is i'm.
ported by the Chinese in this coun.
try.
"A nut which seems to be growing
In popularity, though still uncommon,
is the paradise nut of South America,
which resembles brazil nut in ap-
pearance and flavor. Still less COM
mon is the South African cream nut,
though it is sometimes shipped to
this country
The choicest member Of the Brazil
nut group is the true butternut of the
tropics, which is very seldom found
outside that region. It's flavor is very
delicate and delicious, but it does not
keep well; and even if it would bear
shipment successfully the available
supply is at present very small.
t'The cashew nut of tropical regions,
which many consider one of the most
delicious nuts grown, has long been
known, but has never became COM
mon. 1t is sold to some, extent in this
country and brings high prices. This
nut is roasted before it is eaten, as
the raw nut contains poisonous prop
critics which are readily destroyed by
heat"