y6 MAIXE AGRICLTLTUR-A.L EXPERIMENT STATION. 



Although Asiatic in its origin, this is commonly spoken of as 

 the English walnut. Owing to its general excellence it early 

 won its way to popular favor, having been distributed through 

 nearly all Europe, reaching England as early as the middle of 

 the sixteenth century. 



ChesfKut. fCastanea dentata). 



The American chestnut has a v,-ide ge: graphical range, being 

 found in nearly ever." state east cf the ^lississippi, from south- 

 em Maine to the Gulf. It seems to thrive best on high lands, 

 vith light ar.i even sandy s:hs, E:t!j the European and 

 Japanese chestnuts are also cultivated here to some extent; 

 neither cf them yield nuts of as gcod quality as our native stock, 

 though both excel our nut in size.* The price of the native 

 nut varies from Si to Sio per bushel, according to locality, 

 abundance and excellence of the nut. 



In France, where the chestnut is widety grown, the nut has 

 come to play an intpirtant part in the dietaries cf the poor. The 

 common vay cf preparing the nuts is '.■:• remove the shells and 

 steam them, when they may be eaten either v»-ith salt or milk, 

 furnishing a cheap and nutritiius f::d, Thus prepared, the 

 hot nuts are s;ld in the streets, and I'trm the chief morning dish 

 for a large prcp:rti:n cf the working classes. Large quantities 

 of the nuts are als. dried and eround to a nour, which can be 

 kept for seme time v.dthout deteriorating. This flour, mixed 

 with water and baked in thin sheets, forms a hea^w, but sweet 

 and nrtriticus cake. The use cf the chestnut is not confined to 

 the citr, sin:e it is used in m.any forms by the well-to-do classes 



V. n _ 17"'Zc,7c iT'.m tf-Cin m^IiV pS.ic.t.S.j.6 51G*6 Cli^Hc::;. 



In Italy the use of the chestnut is also very general. The nut 

 is eaten fresh. : tiled and rcasted, or as a substitute for corn meal 

 in the "pilenta," a firm. :f porridge much used by the poorer 

 classes. A common delicacy in the Apennines is '''necci,'' flat 

 cakes :f thestnut flour and -vater, ;aked detween hot, flat stones, 

 with cltestnut leaves between the cakes. "^ In Korea the chestnut 

 is said almost to take the place v hi;n the potato occupies with 

 us, being used ravr, boiled, roasted, cooked with meat, or dried 

 whole. 



*Sut culture in the United States, U. S. Department of Agriculture, p. 82. 

 t Knigtit : Food and Its Fanctions. p. 199. 



