Hazelnut

"Hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) belongs to the family and is a popular tree nut worldwide, mainly distributed in the coasts of the Black Sea region of Turkey, southern Europe (Italy, Spain, Portugal, and France), and in some areas of the United States (Oregon and Washington). Hazelnut is also cultivated in some other countries such as New Zealand, China, Azerbaijan, Chile, Iran, and Georgia, among others. Turkey is the world’s largest producer of hazelnuts, contributing ∼74% to the total global production, followed by Italy (∼16%), the United States (∼4%), and Spain (∼3%). Other countries contribute ∼3% to the total production ... Hazelnut is, therefore, the most popular tree nut in Europe. Several commercial hazelnut varieties are available ..."

"‘Jefferson’ is a new hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) cultivar for the in-shell market. It was released by the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station in Jan. 2009 as a replacement for ‘Barcelona’. It combines complete resistance to (EFB) caused by the fungus Anisogramma anomala (Peck) E. Müller with high nut yield, large nut size, and good kernel quality. Compared with ‘Barcelona’, Oregon's leading cultivar, ‘Jefferson’ has smaller trees, higher nut yield, and much higher nut yield efficiency. Pellicle removal ratings are better than ‘Barcelona’, and kernel quality is suitable for use in chocolate products and baked goods, although kernel size is larger than ideal for the kernel market. ‘Jefferson’ is recommended for Oregon's Willamette Valley and other areas with a similar climate."

"... There are three creatures, the squirrel, the , and the bird called the (sitta Europæa), which live much on hazel nuts; and yet they open them each in a different way. The first, after rasping off the small end, splits the shell in two with his long fore-teeth, as a man does this with his knife; the second nibbles a hole with his teeth, so regular as if drilled with a , ...and yet so small that one would wonder how the kernel can be extracted through it; while the last picks an irregular ragged hole with its bill: but as this artist has no paws to hold the nut firm while he pierces it, like an adroit workman, he fixes it, as it were in a vice, in some cleft of a tree, or in some crevice; when, standing over it he perforates the stubborn shell."