NUT TREES.
The Butter or Oil Nut, the Walnut, the Hazle Nut, the Beech Nut, the Pecan Nut, the Chesnut, the Hickory.
The BUTTER or OIL NUT. As no mention has been made by any authors of this nut, I shall be the more particular in my account of it. The tree grows in meadows where the soil is rich and warm. The body of it seldom exceeds a yard in circumference, is full of branches, the twigs of which are short and blunt, and its leaves resemble those of the walnut. The nut has a shell like that fruit, which when ripe is more furrowed, and more easily cracked; it is also much longer and larger than a walnut, and contains a greater quantity of kernel, which is very oily, and of a rich agreeable flavour. I am persuaded that a much purer oil than that of olives might be extracted from this nut. The inside bark of this tree dyes a good purple; and it is said, varies in its shade, being either darker or lighter according to the month in which it is gathered.
The BEECH NUT. Though this tree grows exactly like that of the same name in Europe, yet it produces nuts equally as good as chesnuts; on which bears, martins, squirrels, partridges, turkies, and many other beasts and birds feed. The nut is contained, whilst growing, in an outside case like that of a chesnut, but not so prickly; and the coat of the inside shell is also smooth like that; only its form is nearly triangular. Vast quantities of them lie scattered about in the woods, and supply with food great numbers of the creatures just mentioned. The leaves, which are white, continue on the trees during the whole winter. A decoction made of them is a certain and expeditious cure for wounds which arise from burning or scalding, as well as a restorative for those members that are nipped by the frost.
The PECAN NUT is somewhat of the walnut kind, but rather smaller than a walnut, being about the size of a middling acorn, and of an oval form; the shell is easily cracked, and the kernel shaped like that of a walnut. This tree grows chiefly near the Illinois river.
The HICKORY is also of the walnut kind, and bears a fruit nearly like that tree. There are several sorts of them, which vary only in the colour of the wood. Being of a very tough nature, the wood is generally used for the handles of axes, &c. It is also very good fire-wood, and as it burns an excellent sugar distills from it.