Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

38oCAMPING AND WOODCRAFTour northern Indians, and now on the market asa breakfast food. The harvesting is usually doneb)' two persons working together, one propellingthe canoe, and the oae in the stern gently pullingthe plants over the canoe and beating oil the ripeseed with two sticks. The seed, when gathered, isspread out for a few hours to dry, and is thenparched in a kettle over a slow fire for half an hourto an hour, meanwhile being evenly and constantlystirred. It is then spread out to cool. After thiij^it is hulled by putting* about a bushel of the seedinto a hole in the ground, lined with staves or burntclay, and beating or punching it with heavy sticks.The grains and hulls are separated by tossing themixture into the wind from baskets. The grainwill keep indefinitely.Before cooking, it should have several washingsin cold water to remove the smoky taste. It iscooked with game, or as gruel (boil 35 minutes),or made into bread, or merely eaten dry. Its foodvalue is equal to that of our common cereals. **Anacre of rice is nearly or quite equal to an acre ofwheat in nutriment." (For details see BulletinNo. 50 of the Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S.Dep't. of Agriculture.)SiLVERWEED. Wild or Goose Tansy. Goose^grass. Potentilla Anserina. Shores and saltmeadows, marshes and river banks. Greenland toN J., west to Neb.; Alaska, south along RockyMts. to N. Mex. and Cal. MaySep.Roots gathered in spring and eaten either raw orroasted. Starchy and wholesome. When roastedor boiled their taste resembles chestnuts.Sunflower. Helianthus, many species. Prairies,etc. July-Sep. "The seeds of these plants formone of the staple articles of food for manv Indians,and they gather them in great quantities. The agreeableoily nature of the seeds renders them verypalatable. When parched and ground they arehighly prized, and are eaten on hunting excursions.The m.eal or flour is also made into thin cakes and