NUTS 



NUTS 



2301 



the kernel rcnuiins. The shea-butter rontent of the decorticated 

 kernel is 40 to 60 per cent of this weight of the kernel." 



RegardinK this butter, Yerby continues that "Purified shea- 

 butter is edible and suitable for use in the preparation of artiHcial 

 butter by chorolate manufacturers, etc., and the principal European 

 demand will be for this purpose." 



Shea-butter is used in the making of certain soaps but according 

 to Yerby, "Tlie high percentage of free fatty acids renders shea- 

 butter unsviitable as a lubricant." 



Calodendrum capensis {Pallasia capensis). Cape Chestntjt. 

 Wild Chkstxut. Rutacac. The shining black, irregularly rounded, 

 and somewhat wedge-shaped, seed of a subtropical tree of southern 

 Africa, of about ^^innh in length. These seeds ha\e a stout but 

 thin shell and a single farinaceous kernel, which resembles somewhat 

 the texture of a chestnut. Cultivated mainly as an ornamental. 



Canarium luzonicum. Pili {Pee-Lee)-Nut. Phii.ii'I'ine-Nut. 

 T.uzoN-NuT. .Java Almond. Phillo-Nut. Btirscracea-. Fig. 2.339. 

 The smooth, hard-«helled, triangular seed of a tree native to the 

 Philippine and other Pacific Islands of the far Kast, which has 

 recently become very common in the American markets, >sonictimes 

 separate, but more often in "mixed" nuts. The natural color of 

 the.'fe nuts is a light brown, varying somewhat on different parts of 

 the nut. As oftenest seen in the market, it is of a uniform reddish 

 color, given it by an artificial dye, which may readily be detected 

 with a moistened finger. 



These nuts are inclined to be slender, sometimes attaining a 

 length of 2^2 inches and a middle diameter of but ^4 to ' ^ of an 

 inch, though sometimes they are short and blunt-pointed with 

 about the same diameter. Typical specimens taper gracefully from 

 near the middle into long, sharp-pointed ends. Inside the shells, 

 which are exceedingly difficult to crack, are single kernels said to 

 be of excellent quality in good specimens, but which as commonly 

 ai)pear in our markets are well below that of most other nuts. 



The use to which pili-nuts are most commonly put is that of 

 food, but it is said that to a more or less important extent, they are 

 used in the manufacture of certain kinds of baby foods, emulsions, 

 and the like. 



Carya spp. Hickory-Nuts. Juglandaceas. The seeds of one 

 of the most important groups of American trees, representa- 

 tive species of which arc' indigenous to nearly every section of 

 the central, eastern and southeastern parts of the United States. 

 With the exception of a few which are very astringent, the nuts of 

 all species are edible; some being among the choicest nuts of the 

 market. Of the better known species, with the exception of the 

 nuts of the pecan {Carya Pecan) and of the water-hickory, or bitter 

 pecan (C. aquatica), hickory-nuts as a rule are inclined to be globular 

 in form, sometimes of smooth surface, or with but faint ridges, but 

 very often with sharp ridges and therefore distinctly angular. The 

 color range of hickory-nuts includes almost white, creamy white, 

 and light or dark brown, with gradations between. The shells vary 

 in thickness from extreme paper-like thinness, characteristic of 

 certain varieties of pecans, to extreme thickness and hardness, 

 rommon with the mocker-, or bxill-nut (C. alba). The kernels are 

 formed in two distinct halves or cotyledons, separated from each 

 other by a partition which may be thick, thin or papery, hard or 

 eorky, or a variation of any of these. 



The following list includes the names of the more important 

 species and their common names: C. alba, mocker-nut, bull-nut, 

 big-bud hickory; C. aquatica, water-hickory, bitter pecan; C. cordi- 

 formis, bitter-nut, swamp-hickory; C. glabra, pig-nut; C. lacinosa, big 

 shellbark, bottom shellbark, big shagbark, scalybark, king-nut, 

 white walnut; C. myristicxfoTmis, nutmeg-hickory; C. oralis, small 

 pignut, false shagbark; C. ovata, shagbark, little shagbark, little 

 shellbark, little scalybark, white walnut, walnut, tuscatine; C. 

 Pecan, pecan, Illinois-nut. Figs. S23-831; 1S36-7. 



Caryocar spp. Perit\'l\x Almoxd. Caryocaracex. Fig 2539. 

 .-\ nut, in many respects resembling the chestnut, from at least cer- 

 tain districts in Peru and western Brazil, which has probably not 

 yet appeared in this country except in botanical collections. The 

 kernel, which is about etjual in size to that of the Brazil-nut, is 

 borne singly in a bur resembling that of a rather small chestnut bur 

 with very short spines, is somewhat kidney-shaped, and has a 

 handsome rich brown color. In fineness of texture and in richness 

 of flavor, this nut is said to excel any other nut of the tropics. It ia 

 most highly prized by the natives. Messrs. Bennett, Day & Com- 

 pany, importers in New York, now contemplate the making of 

 inaugural shipments into this country during the coming season 

 (1915-16). 



There are said to be at least ten species of Caryocar. Of these, 

 two from Guiana, both of which are called Guiana butternuts, are 

 Caryocar huiyrosum, pekea-nut, and C nuciferum, souari or butter- 

 nut. 



Castanea spp. Chestn'UT. Fagacex. Reddish brown, irregularly 

 obovatf, or obconic nuts, ranging in size from H to 2 inches in 

 greatest thickness, having thin papery shells, and being borne in 

 stiff brown burs, thickly covered with stiff, short or long, single or 

 compound, sharp spines. The fruits of an important genus, well 

 known in many parts of the North Temperate Zone in both the 

 Old World and the New. Kernels of the small American and 

 Chinese chestnuts, and of the small chinquapins, are of excellent 

 flavor; average European chestnuts are of fairly good flavor, by 

 comparison, while the .lapanege chestnuts are usually of very 

 inferior quality, except when boiled, roasted, or otherwise prepared. 



The names of the principal species bearing nuts of importance 

 are as follows: C. alnifolia, creeping chestnut, southeastern United 

 States; C. crenata, Japan chestnut, Japan; C flmtala, American 

 chestnut, northeastern United States; C. mollixHimn, ('hinesc 

 chestnut, Cliina and Korea; C. pumila. chinquapin or dwarf chest- 

 nut, eastern and central United States; C. nativn, Kuropean, French, 

 Spanish or Italian chestnut. Furope. Figs. 833-835; 911-917. 



Castanospermum australe. Morf;ton Bay Chestnut. Aus- 

 tralian Chestnut. Lcuitminosif. Seeds of an Australian plant, 

 much the size of European chestnuts and having a chestnut-like 

 flavor. The nuts which are somewhat rounded, spheroidal or 

 flattened in form, are borne in pods an inch or more in thickness, 

 and or 8 inches in length. To some extent these nuts are roasted 

 and eaten by the natives but are not altogether pleasant. To a 

 limited extent this species has been introduced into southern 

 California. 



Cocos nucifera. Coconut. Palmaccx. The well-known round- 

 ish or oval, nut-like seed, 3 or more inches in diameter, of a palm 

 widely grown throughout all tropics. From the nuts, which are 

 borne incased in very thick fibrous husks, is obtained the world's 

 greatest food-supply. The flesh is wliolesome either green or ripe, 

 and either raw or cooked. The milk affords a very refreshing drmk 

 and the dried flesh, called "copra," is exported in enormous quan- 

 tities. Coconut oil is one of the chief articles of export from the 

 tropics. It is used in the manufacture of transparent and "marine" 

 soaps. It is also largely used in pharmacy as a substitute for lard 

 because of its less tendency to rancidity. Figs. 1011-1015. 



Cola acuminata (Cola, or Bichea, acuminata). Cola. Kol.a. 



BiSSEY-BISSV. KoRn.\,. KOLLA. GORRA. GOORA. GuRU. TeMPER- 



AJVCE-NuT or Ombene-Nut. Soudan Coffee. Sterculiacex. The ^ 

 seeds of a large African tree, from which is obtained the stimu- 

 lating drink, long used in the tropics and now very common as a 

 summer drink in this country. The seeds are borne in long pods, 

 containing from five to twelve seeds each. The cola-nut is described 

 in the "United States Dispensatory," as being "irregular in form, 

 reddish gray in color, from ^i of an inch to 1 H inches in length, 

 flattened and rounded upon one surface, irregularly scooped or 

 unfolded upon the other surface, the nut being apparently a coty- 

 ledon marked above with another cotyledon which it has embraced." 

 Corylus spp. Hazel-Nut. Filbert. Cob-Nut. Betulacex. The 

 seeds of a plant usually of shrubby habit of growth, but with at 

 least one exception (C. Colurna), developing into a large tree, which 

 is well known throughout much of the North Temperate zone in 

 both the Old World and. the New. Form globular, short, flattened, 

 or oblong-flattened, the oblong types usually being wedge-shaped 

 at the apex, and all types having a large light colored scar covering 

 the whole of the basal end, marking the point of attachment. In 

 color the hazels somewhat resemble the chestnuts but are of a 

 lighter and more yellowish brown. Within the shell, which is usually 

 thin and easily cracked is a single, dry, tough, or firm kernel, usually 

 of sweet and agreeable flavor. Figs. 1073-1075; 1788. 



The following include the principal species which are now looked 

 upon as being of cultural importance: C. americana, American hazel, 

 northern United States and Canada; C. californica, California hazel, 

 western United States; C. rostrata, beaked hazel, northern United 

 States and Canada; C. Avellana, European hazel, hazel-nut, nutta[ 

 tree, bread-nut, filbert, filberd, filbeard, philbert or cob-nut, south- 

 ern Europe; C. Colurna, Constantinople hazel, Asia Minor, 

 China; C. maxima; (C. tubulosa), Lambert's filbert, Europe. 



Crescentia Cujete. Jicaha-Nut. Bignoniacese. According to 

 Fuller, in the "Nut Cultxirist," the name jicara-nut is apphed locally 

 in some of the Central American states, to the fruit of the evergreen 

 calabash tree. Fruits vary greatly in both size and form, some being 

 small and others from IS to 20 inches in diameter. Some are sym- 

 metrical while others are of quite irregular form, but t>'pical speci- 

 mens are globular. They have a hard outer shell and an inner pulp 

 which supports the seeds. The empty shells are used as drinking 

 vessels and because of their ability to resist fire are considerably 

 used as kettles l^r culinary purposes. Fig. IIOG. 



Cyperus esculentus. Chup'a. Earth Almond. Rush-Nut. 

 Edible Rush. Cyperacese. The small edible tubers of a sedge plant 

 which, to a considerable extent, are grown in warm climates as a 

 food for swine. Native to southern Europe. For fuller account, see 

 Chufa and Cyperus esculentus in Volume II. Figs. 959; 1194. 



Durio zibethinus. Durian-Nut. Bombacaceiv. The seed of a 

 large forest tree of the East Indies and the Malay Peninsula, resem- 

 bling the American elm somewhat in general appearance. According 

 to Lindley, in "The Treasury of Botany," 'The fruit varies .in 

 shape, being either globular or oval, and measures as much as 

 10 inches in length; it has a thick hard rind, entirely covered with 

 very strong sharp prickles, and is divided into five cells, each of 

 which contains from one to four seeds rather larger than pigeon's 

 eggs and completely enveloped in a firm luscious-looking, cream- 

 colored pulp, which is the eaible portion of the fruit." 



Lyons, in "Plant Names, Scientific and Popular," says that the 

 fruit is "delicious in flavor, but of intolerable odor." 



The seeds are roasted and eaten as are chestnuts. Numerous 

 efforts have been made to establish this plant in Florida but thus 

 far without success, due partly to the difficulty in shipping the 

 tender plants, and also because of the inability of the species to 

 endure the Florida climate. See also Durio, page 1081; Fig. 1306. 



El^is guineensis. Palm-Nut. Palmaccx. The small irregu- 

 larly fr)rmpd seeds of a tropical African palm, famous for its pro- 

 duction of palm-oil or palm-buttcr, as it is also called, whicn is 

 largely used in the manufacture of soap and to some extent as a 

 eoloring-matter for oleomargarine. Nuts measure from 1 to \\^ 

 inches in length by about ^jinch in greatest thickness. They are 

 very hard, have a thick ivory-like flesh and a small cavity in the 

 center. The nuts are encased in a fibrous covering which contains 

 the oil. According to the Kew Bulletin, "Three varieties of nut 

 trees are rliHtiii^uislied, having orange, red, and black nuts respec- 

 tively, the first having thr- finest, oil but small kernels, the others 

 less oil but large nuts." The oil is extracted by boiling the nuts. 



Lindley, in the "Treasury of Itotaiiy." says that of the shells, 

 which are very hard and capable of taking a high polish, the negroes 

 make rings and other ornamental articles. 



