Thoreau Manuscript, Berg Collection, "Notes on Fruits" folder, Accession Number 275-276

Thoreau Manuscript, Berg Collection, “Notes on Fruits” folder, Accession Number 275-276

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[XX] 2 J any

[XX]     Holy-rood Day Sep 14

[XX]     Brand says "It appears to have been the custom to go

[XX]     a-nutting upon this day."— — P 353

[XX]     Also "It appears from the curious MS. Status Scho-

[XX]     lae Etonenbis, 1560, that in the month of Sep-

[XX]     tember, ’on a certain day’, most probably on the 14",

[XX]     the boys of Eton school were to have a play-day,

[XX]     in order to go out & gather nuts, with a

[XX]     portion of which, when they returned, they were

[XX]     to make presents to the different masters of that

[XX]     seminary— It is ordered, however, that before

[XX]     this leave be granted them, they should write

[XX]     verses on the fruitfulness of autumn, the

[XX]     deadly colds, &c—of advancing winter."

[XX]     All hallow Even—they used to cast

[XX]     nuts into the fire from the river—"if the nuts

[XX]     be still & burn together" says one, it prog-

[XX]     nosticates a happy marriage or a hopeful

[XX]     love; if, on the contrary, they bounce, &

[XX]     fly asunder, the sign is unpropitious."

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[XX]     Oct 14-59— The chestnuts generally have

[XX]     not yet fallen, though many have.

[XX]     I find under one tree a great many burs

[XX]     apparently not cast down by squirrels, for

[XX]     I see no marks of their teeth, & not

[XX]     yet so open that any of the nuts fall

[XX]     out. They do not all wait till frosts

[XX]     open the burs before they fall then.

[XX]     Josselyn says that the Ind. here-

[XX]     abouts used to sell chestnuts to the English

[XX]     for 12 pence a bushel.

[XX]     Mar 7-53 gathered a few chestnuts

[XX]     q.v.

[XX]     Mar 20 " q.v. p. 26 & 15.