ALMONDS. 105 



to give great strength to cider, but not much richness. 

 The Downton Pippin, and other descendants of the old 

 Golden Pippin, are good cider apples. There are many 

 varieties of cider apples, some of which have been 

 known for hundreds of years. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



ALMONDS. 



I SAT a few words on the almond because it is of the 

 family of some of our choicest fruit, the peach and its 

 varieties ; but it is scarcely a tree to be cultivated in 

 our country for its fruit, although the bitter almond in 

 its outer covering is sometimes used for tarts. It will, 

 with us, bring fruit to perfection on walls, in warm, 

 sheltered spots. As an ornamental tree it is gay and 

 beautiful at an early season, when such beauty and 

 sweetness have double value. The almond is a native 

 of Barbary, and is cultivated for its fruit in the south 

 of France, Spain, Italy, and the Levant. It is pro- 

 pagated by budding on seedling plum stocks, and will 

 produce if subjected to the same management as the 

 peach. 



If almonds in England produce nuts which are worth 

 saving, they must be thoroughly dried on boards or 

 shelves, with dry air playing over them, that they may 

 not get mouldy when put by. They may then be stored 

 in dry sand until they are wanted. They are nice in 

 flavour, but I believe never so fine, nor so good, as 

 those which are brought from abroad. 



The Common Almond, Amande commune of French 

 growers, is common in France, and the young trees are 

 used as stocks for budding with peaches. The nuts are 

 about an inch and a quarter long, with a hard, smooth 

 shell, and a kernel which is not very fine or good. 



The Amande Douce a coque dur, or Hard-shelled Sweet 

 Almond, is an improved variety of it, inasmuch as the 



