231 



peach k 



tKe outer fubftance of which is hard 



marked with a longitudinal furrow where it 



thick rough fl 



opens 



igh, hairy, and 

 under this is a 



which contains the kernel or almond. This 



of Barbar 



t 



and flowers in March and April 



The Almond-tree feems to have been known in the remoteft times 

 of antiquity, being frequently mentioned by Theophraftus and Hip- 

 pocrates : it is probable however that this tree was not very common 

 in Italy, in the 



Greek nuts.'' 



of Cato, as he calls the fruit by the name of 

 It was cultivated in England by Lobel previous to the 

 year 1570,'' and though it does not perfect its fruit in this country, 

 yet it is here very generally propagated for the beautiful appearance 

 of its flowers, which are the more confpicuous by fhowing themfelves 

 early in fpring before the leaves are expanded. . 



The fruit or feeds of mofl 



getables on being planted prod 



varieties, differing more or lefs from the parent plant and from each 



d of the Almond-tree this difference is principally confined 



other 



the fruit, which 



and the k 



b 



g 



fmall 



the Ihell thicker or thinner 



or fweet ; hence the diilindion into b 



Almonds and fweet Almonds, though the fame fpecies of tree affords 

 both. Sweet Almonds are more ufed as food than medicine, but 

 they are faid to be difficult of digeftion, iinlefs extremely well com- 

 minuted j'' their medicinal qualities depend upon the oil which they 



fion 



farinaceous matter, and which they afford on expref- 



arly in the proportion ' of half their weight. The oil' thus 



obtained is more agreeable to the palate than moft of the other ex- 



prefl^ed oils, and is therefore preferred for internal ufe, being generally 



employed with a view to obtund acrid juices, and to foften and relax 

 the folids 



&c. exte 



V 



rnally 



tickling coughs, hoarfenefs, coftivenefs, nephritic pains 



in 



iifio 



of Almonds 



n and rigidity of particular parts 



> 



in a 



deg 



atery liq 

 26, the 



moll 



ufually called 

 ent qualities 



of 



milky folut 



fions, pofl^efj 



oil, and have ' this" advantag 



given in acute 'or inflammatory diforders, without danger' of the 



* Particularly in the hedges about Tripoli. See Bauh. I. c. 



The 



mul- 



the pure oil, that they may be 



5. cap 



Hort. Keiu 



_ The Nuces okofae are not always eafily digefted; " but it appears that this incon- 

 venience may be in a great meafure obviated by a very diligent triture, uniting very 



intimately the farinaceous and the oily part." See Cullm's Mat, M^d, vol, I. p. 298. 



No 



3 



effeds 



