28 THE FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY-SIDE 



of the coming woe, listening in anticipation, and with 

 shivering dread, in the quiet sunny lane, to the march of 

 the foe, or to the low moaning of the foodless, and, per- 

 chance, hearing in the gentle breeze the rustling of the 

 swift wings of the destroying angel bringing vengeance 

 and desolation on the unconscious land. 



It has for centuries been the custom to burn nuts on 

 the Eve of All-Hallows, drawing omens and foretelling 

 the future, but these observances have ordii:arily been of 

 a more or less festive character ; thus Burns tells how — 



Some merrj'-friendly countrie folks 



Together did convene, 

 To burn tlieir nuts ; e'en pon their stocks, 



And haud their Hallowe'en. 



These blazing nuts were often used as love-charms, 

 their readiness to catch fire, the vigour of their crackling, 

 the intensity of their glowing all being regarded as 

 symptomatic of the depth or otherwise of the affection 

 they were employed to test — 



Two hazel nuts I threw into the flame, 

 And to each nut I gave a sweetheart's name ; 

 This, with the loudest bounce we sore amazed. 

 That, with a flame of brightest colour blazed ; 

 As blazed the nut, so may thy passion grow, 

 For 'twas thy nut that did so brightly glow. 



The hazel nut yields an oil that is of much value for 

 the lubrication of delicate machinery, such as watch-work, 

 the works of sewing machines, and the like. Evelyn 

 declares that " these nuts, being fully ripe, and peeled in 

 warm water, make a pudding very little, if at all, inferior, 

 to that our ladies make of almonds." One old medical 

 book, we see, savs, and truly enough, that " nuts eaten alone 



