182 THE CHESTNUT. 



Evelyn laments that in his time they were not used as 

 an article of food so much as they deserved. "We give 

 that fruit to our swine in England which is amongst the 

 delicacies of princes in other countries, and, being of the 

 larger nut, is a lusty and masculine food for rusticks at 

 all times, and of better nourishment for husbandmen than 

 cole (cabbage) and rusty bacon, yea, or beans to boot ; 

 instead of which, they boil them in Italy with their bacon ; 

 and in Virgil's time they eat them with milk or cheese. 

 The bread of the flour is exceedingly nutritive ; it is a 

 robust food, and makes women well complexioned, as I 

 have, read in a good author. They also make fritters of 

 chestnut-flour, which they wet with rose-water, and 

 sprinkle with grated parmigiano, and so fry them in fresh 

 butter for a delicate. How we here use chestnuts in 

 stewed meats and beatille pies, our French cooks teach 

 us ; and this is in truth their very best use, and very 

 commendable." 



The principal countries where chestnuts are now em- 

 ployed as an important article of food are the south of 

 France and the north of Italy ; where they serve, in great 

 measure, as a substitute for both the bread and potatoes of 

 more northern nations. In these countries it becomes a 

 matter of importance to preserve the chestnuts during 

 winter ; and accordingly great care is taken in gathering, 

 keeping, and drying them so as to insure a constant supply. 

 When the chestnuts are ripe, those that are to be preserved 

 are collected every day from the ground on which they 

 have fallen from the tree, and spread out in a dry airy 

 place, till the whole are gathered together. But as it is 

 often a considerable time before the chestnuts are all ripe 

 enough to fall from the tree, if the season be so far 

 advanced that there is danger of snow or heavy rains, 

 after the fallen chestnuts have been collected and set on 

 one side for drying, the tree is beaten with long poles, to 

 knock off the remaining fruit. But the fruit thus collected 

 is only considered fit for immediate use ; and the greater 



