174 



Ray, in 1665, and are generally called Cob* 

 nuts. 



Pliny informs us, that Vitellius brought 

 the nuts, called fistichs, into Italy, a little 

 before the death of Tiberius, and that Flac- 

 cus Pompeius, who served in the wars with 

 Vitellius, carried them into Spain. Nuts 

 are now grown in that country in such quan- 

 tities, according to the account of Mr. Swin- 

 burn, that from a single wood, near Recus, 

 sixty thousand bushels have been collected in 

 one year, and shipped from Barcelona, whence 

 they are called Barcelona nuts. 



It was the custom among the Romans 

 for the bridegroom, on the night of his mar- 

 riage, to scatter nuts among the boys, inti- 

 mating that he dropt boyish amusements, and 

 thenceforth was to act as a man. (Serviw. 

 Pliny.) 



Columella states, that if nuts be steeped 

 in water and honey before they are planted, 

 they will grow more speedily, and produce 

 sweeter fruit. 



