Gather them while the shells are very soft, and rub them all with
a flannel. Then wrap them singly in vine leaves, lay a few vine
leaves in the bottom of a large stone jar, put in the walnuts,
(seeing that each of them is well wrapped up so as not to touch
one another,) and cover them with a thick layer of leaves. Fill up
the jar with strong vinegar, cover it closely, and let it stand
three weeks. Then pour off the vinegar, take out the walnuts,
renew all the vine leaves, fill up with fresh vinegar, and let
them stand three weeks longer. Then again pour off the vinegar,
and renew the vine leaves. This time take the best white wine
vinegar; put salt in it till it will bear an egg, and add to it
mace, sliced nutmeg, and scraped horseradish, in the proportion
of an ounce of each and a gallon of vinegar to a hundred walnuts.
Boil the spice and vinegar about eight minutes, and then pour it
hot on the walnuts. Cover the jar closely with a cork and leather,
and set it away, leaving the vine leaves with the walnuts. When
you take any out for use, disturb the others as little as
possible, and do not put back again any that may be left.
You may pickle butternuts green in the same manner.