1444 



ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



taiuiiiation. yet many careful house- 

 wives wash, or at least wipe, the nuts 

 which are to be cracked and served in 

 the shells, as anything which adheres to 

 the shell might readily contaminate the 

 nuts after cracking, if all were mixed 

 together in a dish. 



Shelled nuts arc now common com- 

 mercial products. They are sometimes 

 sold in tight packages, but more often 

 are not thus protected from dust and in- 

 sects, and should always be washed be- 

 fore they are used. Pouring hot water 

 over nuts which are to be used for salad 

 and other dishes is a practice which is 

 recommended, as it removes any acrid 

 taste and gives the nuts a fresh flavor 

 and appearance. 



If exposed to damp conditions, nuts 

 mold and decay, and even under favor- 

 able conditions the nut oils and fats be- 

 come rancid on long-continued storing. 

 In the main, however, the keeping quali- 

 ties of most nuts are excellent. Nuts, 

 and particularly shelled nuts, should be 

 stored in such a way that they may be 

 free from attacks from insect enemies. 

 When such precautions are not taken, 

 "wormy" nuts are by no means uncom- 

 mon. 



.Sunimnry 



Summarizing the foregoing data, it 

 may be said that nuts are a very con- 

 centrated food, even more so than cheese, 

 but when rationally used they are well 

 assimilated and may form a part of a 

 well-balanced diet. Nuts are a very valu- 

 able source of protein and fat, these two 

 nutrients being the characteristic con- 

 stituents of the more common nuts, of 

 which the walnut and cocoanut may be 

 taken as types. In nuts like the chest- 

 nut, carbohydrates are a characteristic 

 constituent. For most families it is un- 

 doubtedly wiser to use nuts as part of the 



regular diet than as a condiment or sup- 

 plement to an otherwise hearty meal. 



Vegetarians and others who use nuts in 

 place of meat should not depend upon 

 them as the main food supply, but should 

 supplement them with more bulky foods 

 with n low content of protein and fat. 

 As a whole, nuts may be classed among 

 the staple foods and not simply as food 

 accessories. At usual prices, nuts are rea- 

 sonable sources of protein and energy. 

 Peanuts supply protein and energy very 

 cheaply, even compared with such staple 

 foods as bread and beans. There are a 

 number of nut foods on the market, but 

 it may be stated that there is little to be 

 gained from the standpoint of food value 

 or economy in their use in place of the 

 ordinary nuts and home-made nut prod- 

 ucts, especially by healthy persons 

 who are willing to masticate their food 

 thoroughly and to use nuts in reasonable 

 combinations. Unless something has 

 been added, the nutritive materials in 

 such special preparations can not be 

 greater than the nuts from which they 

 are made, though in the mechanical con- 

 dition or in some other way the foods 

 may be better fitted for ready assimila- 

 tion. Furthermore, nut butters and sim- 

 ilar foods give a pleasant variety to the 

 diet, and they are relished by many who 

 would not care for the unprepared nuts. 



Though less subject to contamination 

 than many other foods, nuts should be 

 handled and stored under good condi- 

 tions, and especially should be protected 

 from dampness and insect enemies. 



M. E. Jaff.\. M. S., 

 I'l-ofessor of Nuti'Hion, University nf Califoinia. 



For Varieties of Nuts, follow the 

 Alphabetical Order. 



Nut Culture in Washington. See 

 Washington. 



