The Walnut Tree. 



that of our tree, I have seen instances enough to convince 

 me that it will come to timber in half the time, and Michaux 

 says that the two sorts having been planted at the same 

 time and in the same soil, the Black Walnut has been 

 observed to shoot more vigorously, and to grow in a given 

 time to a greater height. On every account as a timber 

 tree, this Walnut is far superior to the European, and it 

 is not of fruit we are here talking. 



557. The Butter-Nut takes its \ailgar name from the cir- 

 cumstance, that the nut yields an oily matter, which soon 

 becomes " rancid,'' and that is obtained by the Indians, by 

 pounding and boiling the nuts, and taking off the oily sub- 

 stance which swims upon the surface, and "mixing it with 

 their food !" These people must be nearly upon a level 

 with the Cossacks in point of delicacy of taste at the table. 

 To be sure, to give the name of Butter- Nut to a thing which 

 produces a substance, the very smell of which is enough to 

 drive people of common nerves out of the house; this is, to 

 be sure, a monstrous misnomer; but names do a great deal 

 in this world ; and I have really seen a great many people, 

 that seemed to lick their lips at the hearing of the name of 

 the Butter- Nut pronounced. The Black Walnut will yield 

 to nothing but a very stout and heavy hammer ; and when 

 you have got the kernel out, it is so oily and so rancid," 

 that to eat half a dozen is sufficient to make any common 

 person sick. 



558. It is not therefore trees to bear food that I am talking 

 of ; and the Butter-Nut, except for the sake of variety as 

 an ornamental tree, is not worthy of any great degree of 

 attention : the tree is inferior in point of size, is slower of 

 growth, and its wood is in quality vastly inferior ; though 

 it also possesses the quality of long duration, and of being 



