OF FOREST-TREES. 



173 



been graffed on the Ash, though others say no insition improves it, it cHAP. IX. 



thrives exceedingly, becomes a handsome tree, and, what is more 



estimable, bears its fruit within four years ; all which I recommend to the 



farther industrious. The green husk dried, or the first peeping red buds 



and leaves reduced to powder, serves instead of pepper, to condite meats 



and sauces. It is thought better to cudgel off the fruit, when dropping 



ripe, than to gather it by hand ; and that the husks may open, lay them 



by in a dry room, sometimes turning them with a broom, but without 



washing, for fear of mouldiness. In Italy they arm the tops of long poles 



with nails and iron for the purpose, and believe the beating improves the 



tree ; which I no more believe, than I do that discipline would reform 



a shrew. Those nuts which come easily out of their husks, should be 



laid to mellow in heaps, and the rest exposed in the sun, till the shells 



dry, else they will be apt to perish the kernels : some again preserve 



them in their own leaves, or in a chest made of Walnut-tree wood, 



others in sand, especially if you will preserve them for a seminary : Do 



this in October, and keep them a little moist, that they may spear, to be 



set early in February, Thus, after two years they may be removed at a 



yard asunder, cutting the tap-root and side-branches, but sparing the 



head ; and being two yards high, bud, or remove them immediately. Old 



nuts are not wholesome till macerated in warm and almost boiling water ; 



but if you lay them in a leaden pot, and bury them in the earth, so as 



no vermine can attack them, they will keep marvellously plump thewhole 



year about, and may easily be blanched \ In Spain they use to strew 



the gratings of old and hard nuts, first peeled, into their tarts and 



other meats. For the oil, one bushel of nuts will yield fifteen pounds of 



peeled and clear kernels, and that half as much oil, which the sooner it is 



drawn, is the more in quantity, though the drier the nut, the better in 



quality ; the lees, or marc of the pressing, is excellent to fatten hogs 



with. After the nuts are beaten down, the leaves should be sweeped 



into heaps, and carried away, because their extreme bitterness impairs 



the ground, and, as I am assured, prejudices the trees : The green 



husks boiled, make a good colour to dye a dark yellow, without any 



mixture ; and the distillation of its leaves with honey and urine, makes 



^ I have kept Filberts quite fresh, for near twelve months, by burying them in pots some 

 feet under ground. The same may probably be done with Walnuts. 



