roots of the butternut are still quite ex- 

 tensively used medicinally. A decoction 

 of the leaves is said to cure gout, scrofu- 

 la and rickets. The hulls are recom- 

 mended in gout and eruptive skin dis- 

 eases. Fresh leaves are applied as a 

 fomentation to carbuncles. The extract 

 is used as a gargle, wash for ulcerous 

 eruptions and taken internally in tuber- 

 cular meningitis. The juice of the green 

 hull has been extensively employed as a 

 popular remedy to remove warts, as an 

 external application for skin diseases, and 

 internally as a stomachic and worm rem- 

 edy. The medicinal virtues of these plants 

 are, however, apparently limited and un- 

 reliable. 



The nut socalled of the English wal- 

 nut, black walnut, butternut and hickory 

 nut consists of the kernel (seed) and the 

 inner layer (endocarp) of the fruit coat 

 (pericarp). The endocarp, which is or- 

 dinarily designated as the shell, is very 

 hard and splits more or less easily into 

 two equal parts. The shell of the English 

 walnut is comparatively thin and quite 

 easily removed from the kernel. The shell 

 of black walnut and butternut is 

 very rough, very dark in color, 

 thick, and not so easily removed 

 from the seed or kernel. The hick- 

 ory shell is quite difficult to remove. The 

 kernels are eaten direct or added to cake, 

 cake frosting, and other pastry, or en- 

 cased by sugar and chocolate by the can- 

 dy maker. The halves of the shell of the 



English walnut figure conspicuously in 

 the well known ''shell game" of the gam- 

 bler who seems to be the central figure 

 at county fairs and many circuses. 



As already stated, the trees belonging 

 to the butternut or hickory family grow 

 quite slowly, and do not attain their full 

 growth for many years. In our latitude 

 the nuts are planted in the fall when they 

 begin to germinate late the following 

 spring. In order to give the trees free 

 growth they should be planted at least 

 thirty feet apart. They begin to bear 

 fruit at about the tenth year, few nuts at 

 first, but gradually more and more each 

 year, and they continue to bear for many 

 years. The leaves, buds and green fruits 

 have a resinous, characteristic aromatic 

 odor, recalling the lemon. All who have 

 ever handled leaves, green bark and fruit 

 will remember that the juice colors the 

 skin a dark brown which is very difficult 

 to remove. 



The fruit of the black walnut and but- 

 ternut when ripe is gathered, the hulls 

 removed by stamping with mauls, the 

 nuts dried for a week in the sun and then 

 stored for use. The hull of the EngHsh 

 walnut and the hickory nut is quite easily 

 removed. 



Description of Plate. — A, twig with 

 staminate and pistillate flowers ; B, twig 

 with pistillate flowers ; C, fruit ; i-6, flow- 

 ers and floral parts ; 7-10, fruit and seed 

 (nut). Albert Schneider. 



AWAKENING. 



My heart is glad. 

 And hopes deemed dead now wake to life again. 

 This morn I heard. 



Ere I to conscious thought returned had, 

 The spring song of the sparrows in the rain. 



— M. TOWNSHEND MaLTBY. 



144 



