Why did Johnny Appleseed wear a pot on his head?

Johnny Appleseed is said to have worn a tin pot on his head to cook his meals in while on his journeys. While this claim is legend, he did frequently travel with a pot in his belongings and a satchel full of seeds.

Johnny Appleseed was born John Chapman in 1775. Around 1800, he began planting apple orchids over 100,000 square miles of Midwestern frontier in what is now parts of Ohio, Illinois and Indiana. His orchards were built from seeds that were not grafted, meaning they weren't the seeds of apples to be eaten; rather, these were sour, bitter apples meant for cider. Apple cider at the time was a popular beverage among settlers.