38 THE XUT CCLTURIST. 



Pecher, or peach-leaved almond. Leaves similar to those 

 of the common peach. Fruit ovate, obtuse ; husk 

 slightly succulent ; shell of a yellowish color, and the 

 kernel sweet-flavored and excellent. Du Hamel says 

 the fruit varies widely, even upon the same tree or 

 branch, some having a dry, thin husk, while on others 

 it is soft and fleshy, somewhat like that of the peach. 

 As the almond and peach are of the same species, it 

 would not be at all strange if au occasional variety raised 

 from the seed of either class should diverge towards, or 

 even pass completely over to a closely allied group. 



From the varieties found in the forementioned 

 groups we must seek to find, or produce therefrom, those 

 which will succeed in this country wherever it may be 

 thought desirable to attempt the cultivation of this nut. 

 So far as my knowledge extends, no attempts have, as 

 yet, been made to produce distinct American varieties in 

 the Eastern States, as with its near relative, the peach, 

 but all the almonds thus far cultivated here are of well- 

 known foreign varieties. Perhaps the demand for 

 almond trees has not been sufficient heretofore to en- 

 courage very extended experiments in this direction, but 

 I cannot believe that our people will continue for an- 

 other century to import millions of pounds annually of 

 almonds if it is possible to raise them in this country. 

 That it is possible on the Pacific coast has already been 

 fully demonstrated, but we want to see the field greatly 

 enlarged, and give the people of the Eastern States a 

 share in what is evidently soon to become a large and 

 profitable industry. 



Ornamental Varieties of the Almond. These 

 are only referred to because some of the many in culti- 

 vation belong to the groups producing the most valuable 

 nuts, but the greater part of the purely ornamental vari- 

 eties are worthless for other purposes. Amygdalus coch- 

 inchinensis grows to quite a large tree in its native coun- 



