ALMOND. 13 



and varieties are grafted on the common plum-tree. The 

 common dwarf almond has several botanical soubriquets ; it 

 is known as Amygdalus pumila, Lin., frunus japonica, Pru- 

 nus Sinensis, and Cerasus ; but under any of these names, or 

 any other name, it smells as sweet. Mrs. Loudon remarks, 

 in her excellent book, " Gardening for Ladies," that where 

 the almond is cultivated for its flowers, a background of ever- 

 greens should support them, " as otherwise, from the flowers 

 being produced before the leaves, half their beauty will be 

 lost from the cold and naked appearance of the tree." 



ALMOND (Amygdalus communis). The almond-tree is 

 a native of the North of Africa and the mountains of Asia. 

 Its cultivation was introduced into England as early as 1548. 

 Its resemblance to the peach-tree in both wood and leaf is 

 so like, that, joined to experiments which have been made in 

 cultivating the almond from seed, many botanists think the 

 peach an accidental variety, produced by culture on the 

 almond. 



The almond requires similar soil and treatment to that 

 bestowed on the peach. It is often budded on thrifty plum 

 stocks. Though some ornamental varieties grow in New 

 England, our Northern regions refuse us the fruit. The 

 lamented and accomplished Downing * says, that " the com- 

 mon almond, the hard-shell sweet almond, and the bitter 

 almond, are hardy in the latitude of New York, and will bear 

 tolerable crops without care. The soft-shell sweet almond, 

 or ladies' almond, will not thrive well in the open garden as 

 a standard north of Philadelphia; but they succeed well 

 trained to a wall or on espalier rails, in a warm situation, 

 the branches being slightly protected in winter. There is 

 no apparent reason why the culture of the almond should 



* Fruits and Fruit-trees of America. 

 2 



