372 SYLVAN SKKTCHES. 



The tree, wounded in the spring, yields a juice, of 

 which a kind of wine is made. Evelyn speaks of one of 

 the sovereigns of Europe in his time, who was said to 

 drink a great quantity of this juice daily, and to derive 

 great benefit from it. 



Dr. Clarke tells us that the Tartars pierce the Walnut 

 trees in the spring, when the sap is rising, and put in a 

 spigot for some time ; and that when that is withdrawn, 

 a clear sweet liquor flows out, which, when coagulated, 

 they use as sugar*. 



In some parts of Italy, France, Germany, and Swit- 

 zerland, the Walnut is very much cultivated. Burgundy 

 abounds with it; and whenever they fell a tree, says 

 Evelyn, which is only the old and decayed, they always 

 plant a young one near. 



In several places in Germany, he tells us, that " no 

 young farmer is permitted to marry till he bring proof 

 that he has planted a stated number of Walnut trees. 

 And the law is inviolably observed to this day, for the 

 extraordinary benefit which this tree affords the inha- 

 bitants." 



In France and Switzerland, the wood of the Walnut 

 is still in use for furniture, as it was in England until it 

 was superseded by the use of mahogany. At present 

 the Walnut wood is all bought up by the gunmakers, for 

 gun-stocks. The latter years of the late convulsions of 

 Europe were peculiarly fatal to the Walnut trees of 

 England. As a good sized tree would produce 600/. and 

 upwards when cut out into stocks, few landholders about 

 London resisted the temptation of this high price, and 

 every tree that was not protected by some legal barrier, 



* Clarke's Travels, vol. i. p. 534. 



