224 THE GARDENER. [May 



tion in Scotland, and we believe there are not more than four or fire places 

 where it is cultivated in that country. This is to be accounted for from the fact 

 that the soil and climate are not well suited for it. 



The Almond is propagated either from seed or by budding on the Almond or 

 Plum stock. It is chiefly from seed, however, that it is propagated ; and in some 

 of our large nurseries it is grown in great quantities as stocks upon which to graft 

 the Peach and Nectarine, some of our greatest fruit-growers being of opinion that 

 these, when worked upon the Almond stock, are less liable to the attacks of mil- 

 dew than those worked upon any of the other kinds of stocks used for this pur- 

 pose. To raise young trees, the j&nest fruit should be selected at the gathering 

 season. These should be placed in layers in damp sand, and placed in a cool 

 room or shed. By the end of March or beginning of April they will have ger- 

 minated, and should be planted from 1 ^ to 2 inches deep in lines 1 foot apart, 

 and 4 inches plant from plant, in a nice warm situation, and in soil of a light and 

 dry, yet rich nature. At the end of the first year they may be transplanted into 

 soil of a similar nature, allowing 1^ to 2 feet between each plant. In performing 

 this operation, the chief object in view is to cut the tap-root, to prevent its pene- 

 trating to any considerable depth. Those roots which may be ramifying near the 

 surface should be encouraged as much as possible, and every care taken to hurt 

 them as little as possible in the performance of this operation. In the autumn of 

 the following year the stocks may be budded, and at the end of the following 

 year after this may again be ti-ansplanted, either into their permanent quarters or 

 into nursery-lines 2 or 3 feet apart. Again examine the roots, and remove all those 

 which have a decided tendency to penetrate downwards, encouragement being 

 given to all those taking a horizontal direction. When planted they will now re- 

 quire to get stout firm stakes to support them, as in proportion to the size of the 

 tree so will be its liability to be tossed about by every wind that blows, until such, 

 time as it has established itself in its permanent quarters. The tree resembles 

 the Peach very much in its general appearance and habit of growth, so that the 

 pruning and training of the Almond are to be performed just in the same manner 

 as recommended for that fruit. 



I have been unable to ascertain how many varieties of the Almond are culti- 

 vated in Britain. M'Intosh in his * Book of the Garden' says, "The varieties 

 cultivated are the Sweet and the Bitter Almond ; of the former there are several 

 sub-varieties, the most esteemed being the Sweet Jordan, having a tender shell 

 and large sweet kernel. As an ornamental tree the variety Macrocarpa is in 

 greater repute on account of its splendid and very large blossoms." Thompson in 

 his ' Gardener's Assistant ' names eight varieties, but whether they are all culti- 

 vated in this country or not he does not say. Mr M'Intosh says eight varieties 

 are in cultivation in France, so that the eight varieties named and described by 

 Mr Thompson are in all probability the kinds grown in France. 



Dr Hogg in his ' Fruit Manual ' describes the six following varieties, which are 

 all Sweet Almonds — viz.. Common Sweet, Large-fruited Sweet, the Peach Almond, 

 Pistache, Sultana, and the Tender-shelled, which is the true Jordan Almond of 

 commerce. " Besides these," he says, " there are several varieties of the Bitter 

 Almond — such as the Large -fruited, the Tender-shelled, and the Amandier 

 d'ltalie." These, however, never have been in cultivation in Britain, and, as 

 Dr Hogg says, " are not likely ever to be ; " so it is quite unnecessary to say more 

 regarding them at present. 



The best time for planting the Almond is the end of September or beginning 

 of October. We have invariably found that all our hardy fruits, by being planted 

 about this time, become stronger and healthier trees, and that of two trees of a like 



