230 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[June, 
when the cabombas, as the Brazilians call them, are fall¬ 
ing ; most of you know how it feels to be struck by an 
apple falling from a low tree, and can imagine that one 
of these heavy wooden pots, coming from 50 to 100 feet 
above, would be too much for even an Indian’s head. At 
the season when the fruits are failing, the Indians ar¬ 
range a sort of wooden shield to protect their heads and 
shoulders. The monkeys are exceedingly fond of the 
nuts, and will run great risks to steal them when the In¬ 
dians are gathering them: it is said the Indians make 
the monkeys help them ; by throwing sticks and stones 
at the monkeys in the trees, and these animals, who 
imitate what they see others do, use the fruits as bombs 
to “ fire ” back. At the top of the case, or jug, you will 
see, (in fig. 2), a hole, which is nicely closed by a cover 
which drops off when the nuts are ripe; a beautiful con¬ 
trivance, you will think, to liberate the nuts from their 
hard enclosure. The opening, with its lid dropping off 
at just the right time, certainly does look as if it was 
especially arranged to let out the seeds—unfortunately 
the hole is just too small to allow a nut to drop out. 
Why every preparation should be made for letting the 
nuts out, and fail because the mouth of the jug is 
too small, is a puzzle, especially as we know that in the 
Sapucaya, a related nut, they do come out of their case 
by means of just such a hole, only larger. What it all 
means we shall probably find out some day, but it is 
quite sure that if the nuts could fall out readily, the 
boys and girls who buy the nuts, would have to pay 
much more for them, as the monkeys and other animals 
would make them very scarce. The nuts are not only 
collected to send to other countries, but the Indians live 
largely upon them, and make a great time of rejoicing 
over the harvest of juvias , as they call them. The 
Brazilians call the nuts castanhas— and the people 
who gather the nuts are called castanheiros , who go 
up the rivers in their boats and celebrate the occasion 
with music and dancing. A man, with a boy to pick up 
the fruits and bring them to him, will break about 300 a 
day. The kernels contain a great deal of oil, a pound of 
them will yield, when pressed, nine ounces of an excel¬ 
lent oil for burning and other uses. 
Another nut, which is not so well known, as it is much 
less common in the shops, though often found in city 
fruit-stores, is the Sapucaya nut. This, shown in fig. 4, 
is about three inches long, somewhat bent like a letter 
S, with deep wrinkles on its surface, and a thin brown 
shell ; the kernel is more delicate and of even a finer 
flavor than that of the Brazil nut. This is produced by 
another large tree in Brazil, and, like the Brazil nut, is 
enclosed in a case, or pot. The name of the tree is 
Lecythis , the Greek name for an oil-jar. given to the tree 
because it bears these strangely shaped fruits. The 
case, or jug, for the Sapucaya (fig. 5) is like an urn, with 
a nicely fitting lid, which falls off when the nuts arc 
ripe ; the hole in this case is large enough to let the nuts 
drop out. It is said that the monkeys, when pelted with 
stones, will not throw back these fruits, as they do 
those of the Brazil nut. but are too fond of the nuts to 
throw them down, and sit and eat them instead of show¬ 
ing fight. But if the natives can not use the monkeys 
to get the nuts, they can use the fruits to catch the 
monkeys. The hole in the fruit is just large enough to 
admit the monkey’s hand, which he puts into the hole, 
and grasps a nut ; but the hole which will let the empty 
hand to go in, will not allow the hand and a large nut to 
come out, and the disgusted monkey is in a quandary. 
The Indians take several of these fruits, cabombas , as 
they are called there, take off the lids, and lay them 
about under the trees ; the monkey, being very greedy, 
will not be satisfied with trying one, but will put each 
hand into a pot and grasp a nut; he is too fond of the 
nuts to let go, and as he can not climb with such awk¬ 
ward mittens on, he is easily caught. The Brazilians 
say of a shrewd person, “ He is too old a monkey to be 
caught with a cabomba," just as we say, “ Old birds can 
not be caught with chaff.” The jars themselves are put 
to various uses, and are called monkey-pots. As these 
most delicious nuts are very scarce and dear, because 
they fall out of the pot and arc eaten by the monkeys, 
we may be glad that the hole in the Brazil nut pot is 
just too small— “ But did you ever sec all this?” some 
bright-eyed youngster will ask.—I have seen the fruits, 
or pots, of both kinds of nuts, and have read the rest in 
books of travel by persons that I have no doubt tell the 
truth, and whenever I tell you things in my “Talks” 
that I have not seen myself, I try to make it appear, by 
using “ it is said,” and “I have heard,” that I am giving 
information that I got from others. Tiie Doctor. 
Wlint is Foolscap Paper ?—You prob¬ 
ably all know foolscap paper when you sec it; do you 
know why it is so called ? This is the reason: When 
Cromwell became Protector of England, ho caused the 
cap of liberty stamped upon the paper used by the gov¬ 
ernment. When Charles IT. came into power, he had 
occasion to use some paper, some of this government 
paper was brought to him. On looking at it he inquired 
the meaning of it; and on being told he said, “Take it 
away: I’ll have nothing to do with a fool’s cap.” Thus 
originated the term foolscap , which, has since been given 
to a size of writing paper usually about 16 by 13 inches. 
Aunt Sue’s Ptizzle-IIox. 
ANAGRAMS. 
1. It is tea hour. 0. Oh! red hot Hob. 
2. Kiss me, Sir II. 7. Arouse ant, 
3. Backward. 8. In cream-pot, 
4. Sam rust tub. 9. Her insane Pop ! 
5. Faces in icing. 10. A rude pert. 
CHARADE. 
There are two words that Frenchmen speak. 
The one or the other most men seek, 
To gain for friend and strong ally ; 
One’s of the earth, and one’s of the sky. 
The joined together will disclose 
A fruit that every person knows. Henry. 
CONCEALED SQUARE WORD. 
1. It is so dark that even Jack wouldn’t go now. 
2. I don’t think Eva need worry herself about him any 
more. 
3. You must cut and send some more wood home to¬ 
day, Jack. 
4. He says the stone struck him on the head. Nir. 
CROSS WORDS. 
1. My first is in knoll but not in hill, 
My next is in factory but not in mill, 
My third is in pensive but not in sad, 
My fourth is in furious but not in mad, 
My fifth is in coal but not in wood, 
My sixth is in manner but not in mood, 
My seventh is in companion but not in chum, 
My eighth is in addition but not in sum, 
My whole is a man well known to fame, 
Arrange the letters and show his name. 
Stockbridge. 
2. My first is in cannon but not in gun. 
My next is in pleasure but not in fun. 
My third is in pudding but not in cake, 
My fourth is in roast but not in bake. 
My fifth is in Adam but not in Eve, 
My sixth is in spin but not in weave, 
My seventh is in noon but not in day, 
My eighth is in potter but not in clay. 
My ninth is in James but not in hoy, 
My tenth is in fun but not in joy, 
My eleventh is in owl but not in rook, 
My twelfth is in pocket but not in book. 
My thirteenth is in orange but not in plum, 
My fourteenth is in finger but not in thumb. 
My fifteenth is in county but not in state, 
My sixteenth is in bowl but not in plate. 
My seventeenth is in acre but not in land, 
My eighteenth is in rock but not in sand. 
These letters place rightly and you will see 
A very good friend to you and me. J. Adams. 
NUMERICAL ENIGMAS. 
1. 1 am composed of 17 letters : 
My 7,14, 4, 11, 15, 8, 10, is a continent. 
My 2, 15,14, 1, is a city in South America. 
My 13, 15, 3, 4, 11, 15, 12, is a country in Asia. 
My 6, 17, 15, 3, 4. 16, is another country in Asia. 
My 9, 15, 3, 4, 5, 15, 1, is a country in Western Africa. 
My whole is the name of a little girl who likes to read 
" the American Agriculturist. Bertie. 
2 . I am composed of seven letters : 
My 1, 5, 6, 7, is without light. 
My 4, 5, 0, 7, is to stamp. 
My 3, 2, 1, is a boy’s nickname. 
My 2, 3,1, is what all things must have some time or 
other. 
My 3, 5, 4, 2, is what each one of us has. 
My whole is a country in Europe. Humpty Dumpty. 
DOUBLE ACROSTIC. 
The initials give the name of a famous poem, and the 
finals the name of the author of if. 
1. A kind of fish. 2. To prohibit. 3. A season. 4. 
Denominating. 5. Is caused by trouble. 0. A nest. 7. 
Legitimate. 8. A disbeliever. 9. A Biblical mountain. 
10. To shun. T. T. C. 
ANSWERS TO PUZZLES IN THE APRIL NUMBER. 
Anagrams.— 1. Satyrs. 2. Usurped. 3. Severed. 4. De¬ 
cimal, and Medical. 5. Despair. 6. Eastern, and Nearest. 
7. Parental. 8. Umbellar. 9. Coagulate. 10. Costumer. 
Numerical Enigma. -Barking dogs seldom bite. 
Cr.oss- Word.— Monday. 
Diamond Puzzle. 
H 
TEA 
PIANO 
J OURN AL 
SOLITAIRE 
HEARTHBRUSH 
HEARTHAIDHOMI 
COMBINATION 
BUILDINGS 
PATHWAY 
CLOAK 
IMP 
E 
Islands.— 1. Spice. 2. New Guinea. 3. Seyclielle, Sea- 
sliell. 4. Skye. 5. Turks. 6. Manitou. 
Transposed Decapitations.— 1. Edna, Dan. 2. Burin, 
ruin. 3. Dwina, wain. 4. Olive, levi. 5. Althea, health. 6. 
Bugle, glue. 
Thanks for puzzles, letters, etc., to F. W. Parks, Geo. H. 
Fuller, B. F. Ross, J. C. Leitch, F. J. P.. E. S. D., F. W 
A Party of Girls.— 1. Min¬ 
nie. 2. Helen. 3. Eva. 4. 
Mabel. 5. Hattie. 6. Carrie. 
7. Edith. 8. Alice. 9. Cora. 
10. Emma. 11. Madge. 12. 
Addie. 
Pi. — Constant occupation 
prevents temptation. 
Alphabetical Arithme¬ 
tic.— 209;74586(356. Key: Pink 
Flower. 
Send communications for the Puzzle Box to Atint Sue, 
Box 111, P. O., Brooklyn, N. Y., and not to 245 Broadway, 
The Sunflower Girl. 
What do you suppose the artist had in mind when he 
drew the “ Sunflower Girl ? ” Did lie wish to show the 
simple beauty of a young girl, against the gaudy flaunting 
beauty, such as it is, of the sunflower ? It can hardly he 
that, for the Miss is not of the simple kind of beauty; 
on the contrary, she is very much fixed up, over-dressed 
we should say ; very far from simple. It may he that she 
has begun to study botany, and is taking the specimens 
to examine—hut she does’nt look very studious, and we 
fear she thinks too much, about dress to study plants ! 
Perhaps she is giving a party to her young friends, and is 
taking the sunflowers to the house to decorate the room, 
hut that seems hardly probable. After all, it is most 
likely that this is a young city Miss, who is making a 
visit to the country. IIow wonderful it all seeems to her, 
so much.room everywhere, and grass, trees, birds and 
flowers 1 How unlike the crowded streets and narrow 
houses of the city. Flowers everywhere ; Half wild with 
delight she runs from one to the other, and at last sees 
the tall sunflower, which seems to her more wonderful 
than anything she ever saw before, so forgetting all about 
her nice dresses, she takes as many of these great flow¬ 
ers as she can carry, and hurries to the house to show 
her wonderful discovery. Her country cousins say: 
“Theyarc nothing hut sunflowers,”—and her mother 
saj's, “ My child, look at your dress—if you are going to 
run about in that way, and soil your dress, you shall wear 
ail old one.”—That’s just wliat the poor child wants. 
What a mistake some persons make who go into the 
country, they lose a good part of the enjoyment of it 
because of their dress. Happy are those children whose 
clothes are never too good to allow of fun and frolic. 
Aunt Sue's t'lauls. 
Eunice W. Y. writes from Philadelphia—“ Dear Aunt 
Sue .—Two puzzles have been going the rounds here, 
which have caused quite a commotion. We have studied 
all sorts of histories, and consulted wise men, but ail to 
no purpose. Little Minnie S-, whose father takes the 
authors. 
{Example .—I am often to he seen 
Frisking in the meadows green.— Lamb.) 
1. Frightened, amazed with fear we stand 
Beholding blood on every hand. 
2. Opposed to aged ; noting one 
Whose earthly journey’s scarce begun. 
3. One of the powers, which, when braced, 
Has often bulky weights displaced. % 
4. Thoughts that from joyous feelings grow, 
On Nature’s dial I soon show. 
5. Something of many colors take, 
Much like a coat of ancient make. 
6 . Owned by the gods, machine divine, 
Although ’tis slow, it grinds quite fine. Henry. 
ALPHABETICAL ARITHMETIC. 
OKPJK I NIIEC(AAOC 
ACE 
A P H 
ACE 
O E E 
O IC P 
CEC 
CSC 
E K 
puzzle. 
Take two thousand, one hundred and two. 
And place them just where tHey should go, 
You will then sec what monkeys oft do, 
As well as some children I know. 
pi. 
Warders dan nincsthumps era eth sisal) fo doge 
tomvergenn. 
Agriculturist, said, ‘ask Aunt Sue about it, she will 
know the answer.’ So I take her hint, and if you can give 
us any light on tiie subject we shall be greatly obliged.” 
Puzzle No. 1.—“Charade.” 
“ A headless man had a letter to write, 
’Twas read by one who had lost His sigiit, 
The dumb repeated it, word for word, 
And lie was deaf who listened and heard.” 
Puzzle No. 2. 
“ To five and five and fifty-five 
The first of letters add ; 
‘Twill make a thing that killed the king, 
And drove a wise man ntad.” 
I am happy to strengthen “little Minnie’s” faith in 
Aunt Sue, by giving you the solution of both the puzzles. 
The first is a sort of constructive “ Decapitation,” and 
had it been fairly named, it ■would have been less of a 
puzzle. “A headless man" is simply “. 'an" ; the “an” 
we promote to “Ann.” Ann “had a letter to write,” 
and the letter she wrote was the letter “ <?,” dr nought; 
“nought” is “nothing,” and tliat is exactly what tHe 
blind saw, tHe dumb spoke, and the deaf heard. That is 
“easy enough when you know how,” isn’t it?—The 
second puzzle is stated incorrectly, otherwise you would 
have soon guessed if. It should he : 
“ To five and five and fifty 
Tiie first of letters add,” etc. 
“Five and five”—Vand V—put close together, make 
W; L stands for “fifty”; and “the first of letters ” is 
A. So then you have W—L— A,—nothing very dreadful 
