RETURN FROM PITTSBURG 355 



this is a pretty hardy growth, which at all events stands 

 a few cold nights without hurt. The thin shells of 

 the nuts, or more properly the husks, are broken, and 

 the kernels planted towards the end of April in good, 

 light soil, perhaps a span apart. They must then be 

 diligently weeded, and when they begin to make a 

 growth of stems all the filaments or joints are covered 

 with earth. After the blooming-time, the pistils and 

 young seed-cases bury themselves in the ground and 

 mature under the earth which is continually heaped 

 upon them. The kernels have an oily taste, and 

 roasted are like cacao. With this view the culture of 

 them for general use has been long recommended in 

 the Philosophical Transactions, and the advantages of 

 making this domestic oil plainly enough pointed out, 

 but without the desired result. The wild chesnuts 



made without result. In more southern countries it flourishes 

 astonishingly, and it is all the more valuable because it does 

 not require the best land, but prefers a thin, light, and sandy 

 soil. Besides what the negroes raise for their own use, planters 

 here and there in the southern colonies cultivate great quan- 

 tities of them to fatten their hogs and fowls, which gain 

 rapidly on such feed. 



It is believed to be originally an African plant which was 

 brought to the American colonies, particularly the sugar colo- 

 nies, by the negro slaves ; the blacks are very fond of them, 

 and plant them industriously in the West Indies, in the little 

 patches of land left for their use. 



The oil made of these nuts is especially recommended for 

 keeping long at a great heat without becoming rancid. To get 

 a completely pure and good oil, no heat should be used in the 

 pressing. From a bushel of the seed, costing in Carolina not 

 much over I or 2 shillings sterling, nearly 4 quarts of oil are 

 obtained. In some parts they are called also ' ground-nuts ' 

 and ' ground-peas.' 



