Acorn season

October 11. 

There is a remarkably abundant crop of white oak acorns this fall, also a fair crop of red oak acorns; but not of scarlet and black, very few of them.  

The acorns are now in the very midst of their fall. This afternoon (11th) the strong wind which arose at noon has strewn the ground with them. 


The best time to gather these nuts is now -, when a strong wind has arisen suddenly in the day, before the squirrels precede you. I gather many bushels in a short time. 

H. D. Thoreau, Journal, October 11, 1860

There is a remarkably abundant crop of white oak acorns this fall. See October 11, 1859 ("Looking under large oaks, black and white, the acorns appear to have fallen or been gathered by squirrels.") See also October 13, 1860 ("This is a white oak year"); September 12, 1854 ("White oak acorns. . . are small and very neat light-green acorns, with small cups, commonly arranged two by two close together, often with a leaf growing between them; but frequently three, forming a little star with three rays, looking very artificial.")