NUTTING-PARTIES.
OFF they go with bright, laughing eyes and glowing cheeks, each one
carrying a light little basket or fancy bag slung carelessly on her
arm. The girls are full of life and spirits as they walk briskly along
toward the woods in the delightful fall weather, talking and laughing
in a happy, thoughtless fashion, now telling where the best nuts are
to be found, the shortest route to take, or where the prettiest walks
lead, and again lingering or stopping to admire the many wonderful
beauties of autumn. Leaving the road they enter the woods, where the
dry leaves rustle pleasantly beneath their feet, and in some places the
gold and brown leaves through which they walk lie ankle-deep.
All this is fully enjoyed by the party as they proceed on their way
discussing the best place for lunch, which consideration is quite
important, as it is necessary, if possible, to be near a clear, cool
spring; otherwise the water must be transported.
Arriving at the selected spot about noon, all bring forward their
baskets and bags to contribute the contents to their “nutting-dinner.”
Soon the white cloth is laid and the tempting feast spread, when the
hungry but merry maidens gather around to relish their repast in the
forest, where, all about, are seen sure signs of coming winter.
The airy dining-hall is carpeted with the softest moss, and the
gorgeous coloring of the surrounding foliage is far more beautiful than
the most costly tapestry, while the sky forming the roof is of the
serenest blue.
Now and then the sound of falling nuts is heard as they drop from the
trees. This is music in the ears of the girls, and they hurry through
their lunch, collect the empty baskets, and are soon busy gathering the
glossy brown chestnuts, which are thrashed down from the branches by
some of the party, who use long poles for the purpose. Down comes the
shower of nuts and burs, and away the party scamper to patiently wait
until it is over, as the prickly burs are things to be avoided. Some
wise girls have brought tweezers to use in pulling open these thorny
coverings. Others have their hands well protected by heavy gloves which
cannot easily be penetrated with the bristling spikes.
It does not take long to fill their bags, and the one who first
succeeds in the feat receives the title of “Little Brown Squirrel.”
Then all the others, for the rest of the day, obey her wishes. Nor is
this difficult, for their Little Brown Squirrel is blithe and gay,
generous and kind, and does all in her power to render her subjects
happy.
As they turn their faces homeward the girls plan for another
nutting-party to come off soon, for they wish to make the most of the
glorious Indian summer, which belongs, we claim, exclusively to our
country, and which may last a week or only a few days.
The chestnuts are brought home, where in the evening some are eaten
raw, others have the shells slit and are then roasted or boiled, making
a sort of chestnut festival, as in the North of Italy, only of course
on a very much smaller scale, for there the peasants gather chestnuts
all day long and have a merry-making when the sun goes down. This
harvest lasts over three weeks and is a very important one to the
dark-eyed Italians, who dry the nuts and grind them to flour, which is
used for bread and cakes during the barren season. The harvest in the
Apennines is quite an event, as the trees are plentiful, the fruit is
good, and the people gladly celebrate the season.
Our thin, white-shelled shag-bark hickory-nut is peculiarly American,
and many a nutting-party have found its delicate and agreeable flavor
very welcome when, gathered around a large rock, they crack a few to
sample their fruit before returning home. These nuts are only cooked
by covering the kernels with hot candy, and thus prepared, they make a
delicious sweetmeat.
[Illustration: Blossom and Fruit of the Chestnut-Tree.]
When cracking hickory-nuts, hold each nut firmly by the flat sides,
bringing uppermost one of the narrow sides; strike this and the nut
will open so that the halves fall out, or may be easily extracted,
and occasionally the kernels will come out whole. We have seen quaint
little figures, with the heads made of hickory-nuts, the pointed end
forming the nose, and the eyes and mouth marked with ink, giving a
comical expression to the peaked face.
The neat little three-cornered beech-nut is easy and pleasant to
gather, making a desirable change for the “nutters” after going for
other kinds, and the trees with their beautiful foliage render the
scene very attractive. But not more so than do the lofty and stately
walnut-trees with their rich, brown fruit encased in such rough shells,
whose outside covering is so juicy that, unless we are very cautious,
it will stain our hands its own dark color. The black-walnut tree
(J. nigra) is indigenous to the United States, and we are informed
that a celebrated specimen is still standing at Roslyn, L. I., where
the seed was planted in 1713. The tree measures twenty-five feet in
circumference at three feet from the ground.
Butter-nuts, so significant during our civil war, also belong to
America; the meat, though quite oily, is sweet and agreeable.
Butter-nuts will repay anyone for gathering them, though, like the
walnut, the outer husk is apt to stain the fingers; but this may be
avoided by wearing gloves while handling the fruit. The cross-sections
of the shells, when properly polished, make pretty ornaments.
Although we are all fond of the round little hazel-nut, they do not
seem to be as plentiful as could be wished, and it is seldom we have
the pleasure of going hazel-nutting, yet when the opportunity occurs,
it is rare sport and an event to be talked of afterward.
Nuts are to be found in all portions of the country, and the varieties
depend upon the section in which you live.
=Rules for Nutting-Parties.=
1. In selecting the members of a nutting-party be careful to choose
only those on whom you can safely depend for cheerfulness, kindly
feeling, and a willingness on their part to do all in their power to
assist, should occasion arise, in letting down the bars of a fence,
going for water, or anything which might happen to require their
services.
[Illustration: Pea-Nut Vine and Fruit.]
2. Decide by majority any case of controversy in regard to destination,
the best place and way of crossing a brook, which route to take, or in
fact any question concerning the comfort and pleasure of the party,
until the “Little Brown Squirrel” wins her title. Then she rules
absolutely and settles all questions according to her best judgment,
giving council and friendly advice to those who ask it. All differences
being referred to her, the decision is considered final, and the party
must obey when their Little Brown Squirrel directs.
3. The one who gathers the greatest quantity of nuts in a given time
wins, and receives the above much-desired title. The standard of
measure being previously decided upon by the party, the time may be
either long or short, as desired.
4. The badge given to the successful competitor may consist of fall
leaves or nuts tied with a brown ribbon. This she keeps in remembrance
of the delightful day spent nutting in the woods when she was a Little
Brown Squirrel.
Select, if possible, a day in Indian summer for your nutting-party, and
it is well to wear a gown that will not easily tear, catch the dust,
or spot—not that these accidents are always to be met with on such
excursions, but they might happen, and we must be on the safe side, so
that no thought or anxiety need be given to the clothing.
If your party contemplates a series of nutting-picnics, propose that
they shall go for different varieties each time. This will add novelty
and zest to the excursions; and should the distance in some cases be
too great for a walk, secure a vehicle with a good reliable driver, and
the ride will be particularly enjoyed. This mode of travelling procures
another change in the programme, which should be as varied as you can
make it. Let the plates for your dinner be of wood or paper, to avoid
the necessity of carrying them home. A table-cloth made of large sheets
of white paper is a good substitute for damask, and after doing service
the paper may be thrown away, leaving your baskets entirely empty to be
filled with nuts.
There grows a nut, highly prized, that is never gathered by
nutting-parties. Nor could they see it if they examined every tree
throughout the country. Yet it flourishes in this climate, and may be
seen any day at the fruit-stores and corner-stands. The shells of these
furnish odd fancies for little trifles made by girlish fingers. Cut
in the shape of slippers and glued to a card, they seem suitable for a
wood-nymph, and the card is used as a birthday or _menu_ card. Strung
together with needle and thread, and dressed in costume with black
thread for hair, they make quite a good-looking Japanese.
Glued on a twig and marked with ink in representation of the birds,
they look not unlike owls perched on a limb. When divided in halves the
shells are transformed into tiny boats with tissue-paper sails. This
nut boasts of four names: gouber, pindar, ground-nut, and the familiar
name of pea-nut.
[Illustration]