production will undoubtedly continue to decrease for the same
causes which inevitably lead to a lessened meat production. Some other
source for the complete proteins needed to supplement the incomplete
proteins of cereals and roots must be provided. Fortunately, Nature has
supplied us with this all-essential foodstuff in that choicest of all
our products, the nut. This is a vitally important fact which sometime
will save the race from protein starvation.

A study of the relative protein content of nuts, milk, and meat shows
that, pound for pound, the almond, beech nut and walnut contain on an
average as much protein as does meat and five times as much as is found
in milk, and protein which from rat feeding experiments appears to be of
equal value. The chestnut, the chinquapin, the filbert, the hickory,
pecan and pine nut contain on an average as much protein as is found in
fish, while the butternut, the peanut and the pignolia contain twice as
much or 50 per cent more than is found in the best of meat.

The following table shows the number of pints of milk equaled by one
pound each of the several nuts mentioned, together with the calory value
of the nuts per pound and of the amount of milk containing an equivalent
amount of protein and the amount of each kind of nuts needed to supply
supplementary proteins for one day:

Pints of Milk
containing as Calories Calories Amt. needed
much protein Milk Nuts for one day
as one pound

Acorn 2.4 780 2620 8.3
Almond 6.1 2080 3030 3.2
Beech nut 6.6 2145 3075 3.0
Butternut 8.5 2762 3165 2.4
Chestnut 3.2 1040 1876 6.4
Chinquapin 3.8 1072 1800 6.4
Filbert or Hazelnut 5.0 1625 3290 4.0
Hickory nut 4.6 1495 3345 4.8
Pecan 3.6 1170 3455 5.6
Peanut 9.2 2090 2600 2.2
Pinon 4.4 1430 3205 4.8
English walnut 5.4 1555 3300 3.7
Black walnut 8.5 2762 3105