The walnuts should he gathered while young and soft, (so that you
can easily run a pin through them,) and when the sun is upon them.
Rub them with a coarse flannel or tow cloth to get off the fur of
the outside. Mix salt and water strong enough to bear an egg, and
let them lie in it nine days, (changing it every two days,) and
stirring them, frequently. Then take them out, drain them, spread
them on large dishes, and expose them to the air about ten
minutes, which will cause them to blacken the sooner. Scald them
in boiling water, (but do not let them lie in it,) and then rub
them with a coarse woollen cloth, and pierce everyone through in
several places with a large needle, (that the pickle may penetrate
them thoroughly.) Put them into stone jars, and prepare the spice
and vinegar. To a hundred walnuts allow a gallon of vinegar, an
ounce of cloves, an ounce of allspice, an ounce of black pepper,
half an ounce of mace, and half an ounce of nutmeg. Boil the spice
in the vinegar for five or six minutes; then, strain the vinegar,
and pour it boiling hot over the walnuts. Tie up in a thin muslin
rag, a tea-cupful of mustard seed, and a large table-spoonful of
scraped horseradish, and put it into the jars with the walnuts.
Cover them closely with corks and leathers.
Another way of pickling walnuts black, is (after preparing them as
above) to put them into jars with the spices pounded and strewed
among them, and then to pour over them strong cold vinegar.