3 THE NUT CULTUEIST. 



and needs, wars, earthquakes, drouths, floods, and conta- 

 gious, epidemic and other diseases, become the weapons 

 which nature employs to prevent overpopulation. But 

 we cannot deny that nature does sometimes encourage or 

 permit a somewhat redundant population in certain 

 favorable countries and localities, and then follows a 

 struggle for existence, and food becomes the paramount 

 object in life. To ward off danger of this kind and 

 keep the supply in excess of the demand, is a problem 

 which, should seriously engage the attention of every 

 one who takes the least interest in the general welfare of 

 his countrymen, even though the day of want or scarcity 

 of food may be very far distant. 



Among the various sources of acceptable and nutri- 

 tious food products heretofore almost entirely neglected 

 in this country, the edible nuts stand preeminently and 

 conspicuously in the foreground, awaiting the skill 

 and attention of all who seek pleasure and profit — 

 to be derived from the products of the soil. For many 

 centuries these nuts have held a prominent position 

 among the desirable and valuable food products of vai i- 

 ous European and Oriental countries ; not only because 

 they were important and almost indispensable in making 

 up the household supplies of all classes of the people, 

 but often because available for filling a depleted purse, 

 and the thing needful for this purpose has, in the main, 

 been received from far-distant nations, who through in- 

 difference and neglect failed to provide themselves with 

 such a simple and valuable article as the edible nuts. 



Much as we may boast of our immense natural re- 

 sources and advantages, we have not, as yet, availed our- 

 selves of one-half of those we possess, and the remainder 

 is still awaiting our attention. We also neglect to avail 

 ourselves of the many superior domestic traits and prac- 

 tices of the foreign nations with whom we are in con- 

 stant communication. It may be that the absence of 



