95 CRATAEGUS. 



4. p. Armeni'aca. 



Flowers sessile; leavfs eubcordate. The Apricot is said to be a native of 

 Levant. It is a tree of small size, bearing fruit next in esteem to the peach. 

 There are many varieties. The trees are generally budded on plum-stocks, 

 and trained against walls. Apricot. 



3. AMY'GDALUS. 



Calyx 5-cleft, inferior; petals b; drupe with a nut perfo- 

 rated on its surface. 

 The Greek name of the almond. 



1. A. Pe'rsica. 



Leaves with all the serratures acute; floicers sessile, solitary. The exquisite 

 fruit of the Peach and Nectarine, are sufficiently known and appieciated. 

 The richness and delicacy of its juicy pulp, render it superior to the grape or 

 the apple, and inferior in these respects only to the pine-apple. This species is 

 divided by Linnajus, into two varieties; that with downy fruit, or tl;e peach, 

 and that with smooth fruit, or the nectarine. But of these there are also many 

 varieties produced from the seed. The peach, in order to attain its proper 

 Havor in the Northern States, should be protected with glass in the spring 

 and eariier months of summer, and exposed to the direct rays of the sun after- 

 wards, to ripen ; but in the Middle and Western States, it attains to its per- 

 fection without protection or culture, when once planted in good loamy soil. 

 The double-flowered peach, is a highly ornamental tree, blossoming in May. 

 From Persia. Common Peach. JVectariue. 



2. A. com.mu'nis. 



Lower serratures of the leaves glaudular ; ^ojccrs sessile, in pairs. The 

 Almond is employed as an ornamental tree in shrubberies. Jn some coun- 

 tries of S. Europe, it is cultivated for its fruit. The sweet Almond is used for 

 food, is pleasant to the taste, but dry and difficult of digestion. The variety 

 Jlmara, bitter Almond, is distinguished only by the taste, and contains piussic 

 acid to a degree, which renders its extract narcotic and very poisonous. Flow- 

 ers in April and May. From Barbary. Alviond. 



3. A. NANA. 



Leaves ovate, alternate at base, simply and finely serrate. A very ornamen- 

 tal shrub from Russia. Hight about 3 feet. The flowers, which are often 

 double, are large, red, appearing in April, while the leaves are yet small. 



Flowering Almond. 



SOBORDER II, POME^. 



Ovaries^ — 5 {rarely I), cohering with the sides of the persistent calyx, and 

 with each other Fruit a pome. 



4. CRAT^'GUS. 



Calyx 5-clcft, campanulate, superior ; petals 5 ; ovaries 1 — 



5, with ternninal styles; fruit a pome, with 1 — 5 1-seeded 

 nuts, or bony cells. 



Gr. jcQuroi, strength ; on account of the extreme hardness of the wood of 

 come of the species. Cal. perm. Pet. round, spreading. Styles smooth. 

 Pome oblong, concave at top, closed with the teeth of the calyx. Trees or 

 ehiubs. 



