THE APRICOT. 307 



According to Haller {Hist. Plant.), bitter almonds 

 are a poison to birds and quadrupeds. 



Almond-oil (the expressed oil) is principally ob- 

 tained from the almonds of Valentia and Barbary; 

 the Syrian almonds, usually called Jordan almonds, 

 being- preferred for the table. 



The Large Fruited Almond (var. macrocarpa) 

 is one of the most beautiful varieties of the almond. 

 The flowers are twice as large as those of the common 

 sort, and remain longer in perfection : the fruit also 

 is larger. There is a specimen in the garden of the 

 Horticultural Society, which has been figured and 

 described by Mr. Lindley in the Botanical Register; 

 who remarks, that this almond is " increased by 

 budding upon plums and other drupaceous plants." 



About four hundred and fifty tons of almonds are 

 annually imported into Great Britain, paying a duty 

 of d£' 18,000. 



The Apricot — Prunus Armeniaca. 



The apricot belongs to a very numerous genus of 

 fruit-bearing trees, and trees which are a good deal 

 different in their characters. The genus Prunits com- 

 prises all the varieties of the cherry, the laurels pro- 

 perly so called, the plums, the sloe, and a number 

 of others that are never cultivated for the sake of 

 their fruit. Many of the genus are poisonous ; and 

 though the fruit of some of them is agreeable to the 

 taste, and safe enough when taken in limited quan- 

 tities, there is none of the family that can be indulged 

 in to excess with impunity. Columella says that the 

 Persians sent the peach to Egypt to poison the in- 

 habitants ; and a species of apricot is called by the 

 people of Barbary, ' matza Franca,' or the killer of 

 Christians*. All these evil qualities are, however, 



* Shaw. 



