Brazil Nut

Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)

a much esteemed nut from the forests of the Orinoco and Amazon. The Brazil nut has a number of familiar names, as cream nut, niggertoe, and Para nut, the last name from the port of Para whence it is exported chiefly. The tree on which Brazil nuts grow is a large, straight tree that rises to a height of one hundred feet before branching. The nuts are globular, and are about the size of a person's head. They weigh several pounds and, when ripe, fall with tremendous force, rendering it positively dangerous to be abroad. Each nut contains from eighteen to twenty-four of the three-sided, wrinkled kernels known in the market. They are fitted in by nature with such art that, once disturbed, the skill of man cannot replace them. Indians gather the nuts, break them open, and bring the kernels down stream to market. Buyers have of late established trading stations farther up the streams nearer to the Indians in the remote nut country, and the industry is increasing. The port of Para sends half a million dollars' worth to London annually. We probably buy as many or more. On pressing, the nuts yield a fine quality of watchmaker's oil. See Nuts; Brazil ; Amazon Sometimes the gatherers are lost in the woods; sometimes canoes, loaded with nuts, are overturned in the rapids and the boatmen are drowned. But the grand danger--the one most dreaded--is that of falling nut capsules. They are five inches in diameter and weigh two or three pounds; falling a hundred feet or more, they come crashing through the branches like cannon-balls. The gatherers keep to their huts while the morning wind is blowing, and . . . occupy themselves at home, cutting open the hard cases with their heavy knives, and drying the nuts in the sun. When the wind dies away, men and women sally out to the gathering, bringing in the nuts on their backs in great baskets.--Dr. Smith, Gathering Brazil Nuts.