94 Fruits and Fruit- Trees. 



energetic. The oil is especially dangerous. Sweet- 

 almond oil is a very different substance quite harmless, 

 and hence put to varied uses, among which is the manu- 

 facture from it of Kalydor, and the famous "Rowland's 

 Macassar." The abundance of the oil renders almonds 

 rather difficult of digestion, at all events with people 

 whose digestive powers are weak. Eaten in moderation 

 they are nutritious and demulcent. When placed upon 

 the table ready shelled, as when mingled with raisins for 

 dessert, they should always be previously blanched, the 

 brown skin being possessed of irritant properties. 



In 1880 the total quantity of almonds of all descrip- 

 tions brought into this country, was 86,763 cwts., 

 valued at .334,713. The bitter ones were chiefly 

 from Mogador. 



THE APRICOT (Armeniaca vulgaris)* 



THE Apricot is that beautiful yellow stone-fruit, nearly 

 globular, fully an inch and a half in diameter, and furrowed 

 on one side, the complexion of which moved Mr. Ruskin 

 to describe it as " shining in sweet brightness of golden 

 velvet." Excepting in the southernmost counties, in 

 England it does not ripen successfully unless the tree be 

 trained, like the peach, against a wall facing the sun. 

 The gloriousness of the spectacle presented by the tree 



* Prunus Armeniaca of Linnaeus and " Genera Plantarum," 

 see p. 80. 



