1428 AKlit)l<l.'l'L\M ANU I-KUTICKTUM. 1>.\ KT 111. 



(irciioble, " of all otiiers the most beautiful auii esteemed." To render the 

 wood better coloured, Evelyn continues, "joiners put the boards into an 

 oven after the batch is forth, or lay them in a warm stable; and, when they 

 work it, |)olish it over with its own oil, very hot, which makes it look black 

 ami sleek; and the older it is, the more estimable: but then it should not be 

 put in work till thoroughly seasoned ; because it will shrink beyond expect- 

 ation. It is only not jjood to confide in it much for beams or joists, because 

 of its brittleness"; of which, however, it has been observed to give timely 

 notice, like that of the chestnut, before it breaks." {Hunt. EvcL,[). 172.) For 

 fuel, according to Baudrillart, the wood, when dry, is of nearly the same value 

 as that of the connnou sycamore, burning with a mild flame ; but, as charcoal, 

 it is not productive. In Britain, the chief uses of the timber are for gun- 

 stocks (it being found lighter in proportion to its strength and elasticity than 

 any other), and for musical instruments, turnery, and toy-making. 



The most valuable part of the walnut is its fruit, which is much in demand, 



throughout Europe and other parts of the world, for the table, and for various 



other purposes. In a young and green state, it is pickled and preserved ; and, 



when mature, it is used as tbod for the poorer classes in thecoimtries where it 



abounds, and at the dessert of the richer classes. In the north of Italy, in Swit- 



zerlautl, and in the south of France, the roads are lined for many miles together 



with walnut trees ; and, during August and September, when the fruit is ripe, 



or nearly so, and the weather so warm that the shelter of a house is not 



required to protect the traveller from cold, he may walk under the shade ot 



the tree, and eat its fruit during the day, and sleep under it during night. We 



have even known the case of a person who travelled by a public conveyance 



from Florence to Geneva, eating scarcely anything by the way but walnuts 



and heails of maize, which he gathered "by the road side. About the end of 



June, walnuts are preserved, either with or without their husks : in the latter 



state they are most agreeable, but in the former most strengthening to the 



stomach. Gerard says, "The green and tender nuts, boyled in sugar, and eaten 



as suckarde, are a most pleasant and delectable meate, comfort the stomache, 



and expell poyson." A fine stomachic liqueur is made from the young nuts 



about the middle of June; and about this time, also, they are pickled. In 



August, before the shells become hard, they are eaten in what the French 



call en cerncaii.v, that is, with the kernel, while green, scooped out with a short, 



broad, brass knife, and seasoned with vinegar, salt, pepper, and shallots. The 



nuts, for this purpose, should be taken at least a fortnight before they are ripe; 



they shoulil be thrown into water as soon as they are separated from the 



husk, and allowed to remain there till the moment when they are wanted to 



be seasoned and set upon the table. The seasoning may be that already 



mentioned; or the juice of green grapes and salt, without anything else. 



Towards the end of September, or beginning of October, walnuts are eaten 



raw, and they arc good as long as they continue fresh ; that is, as long as it is 



easy to detach the skin from them ; but whcfi this cannot be removed, the nuts 



become indigestible, and their acridity attacks the gums and the palate. In 



order to preserve them fresh, they ought to be buried, with their green shells 



on, in sand or in dry soil, beyond the reach of frost or suiface heat, in which 



state they w ill continue fresh lor six months. Of the dried kernels, a conserve 



briilce is formed; which, in F"rance, is called nougat, and is considered very 



agreeable. In Spain, Evelyn tells us, they strew the gratings of old and hard 



luits *)ver their tarts and sweetmeats. In London, young walnuts are much 



used for pickles, and in making catchups, or adulterating soy, ami other sauces. 



The nut of the large-fruited walnut (,/V/Mi,'<', Fr. ; the variety No. I. above) 



is, in France, made into cases by jew cUers, and furnished w ith trinkets, for the 



amusement of children. In Lim(;rick, it is customary to put a pair of fine 



Limerick gloves into a walnut shell, and a dish of walnuts with this kind of 



kernel is sometimes presented at table. Thus furnished, they are often sent 



as presents to England ; and gloves arc sent in th(; same manner from France. 



The most general use of the walnut on a large scale, in the south of Europe, is 



