226 AMYGDALUS COMMUNIS. 
states that its fruits vary upon the same branch, from ovate, obtuse, with the 
husk rather fleshy, to ovate, compressed, acuminate, and the husk dry. It is 
cultivated in the south of Europe for its fruit. Knight considered the Tuberes 
of Pliny, as swollen almonds of this variety, having raised a similar one himself, 
by dusting the stigma of the almond with the pollen of the peach, which pro- 
duced a tolerably good fruit. 
5. A. c. fragilis, De Candolle. Brittle-shelled Common Almond-tree ; Aman- 
dier a coque tendre, Amandier a coque molle, of the French. The leaves of this 
variety are short ; the petioles thick. The flowers protude at the same time as 
the leaves, are of a pale rose-colour, with broad, deeply-emarginate petals. The 
fruit is acuminate, shell soft, and kernel sweet-flavoured. Cultivated for its fruit. 
6. A. c. flore pleno, Baumann. Double-fiowered Common Almond-tree. 
7. A. c. foliis variegatis, Baumami. Variegated-leaved Common Almond-tree. 
The almond, considered as a fruit-tree, has given rise to some other varieties, 
which will be found treated at length in the " Nouveau Du Hamel," and the 
" Nouveau Cours d'Agriculture," published in France. 
Geography and History. The Amygdalns communis is indigenous to Syria 
^and northern Africa, and has become naturalized in the south of Europe, Madeira, 
the Azores, and the Canary Islands, and is cultivated for ornament in Britain, 
North America, and according to Mr. Royle, in the mountainous parts of India, 
in Asia. 
The beauty of this species, its flowering at a period when most other trees 
appear scarcely to have escaped from the icy chains of winter, and the extraor- 
dinary profusion of its flowers, doubtless attracted the early attention of aboriginal 
man. The first mention of the almond is found in " Holy Writ," when Moses, 
to ascertain from which of the twelve tribes to choose the high priest, put twelve 
rods into the tabernacle, and found the following day, the almond rod, which 
represented the tribe of Levi, covered with leaves and blossoms. 
"And, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, 
and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds." 
Numbers xvii. 8 
The almond is also mentioned in that sacred book as one of the choice fruits of 
Canaan. It was noticed by Pliny, as well as by other early Roman authors. 
He calls a variety of it Tuberes, which Mr. Knight considers to be the swollen 
or peach almond (A. c. pcrsicoides.) In Rome, in the time of Cato, the fruit 
of this species was called " Greek nuts." Pownall, in his " Roman Prov- 
inces," states that the almond was brought from Greece to Marseilles, in the 
Middle Age, by the Phocaean colonists. Faulkner, in his "Kensington," says 
that the fruit came from the east, and was introduced into Britain in 1570. 
According to other accounts, it was first brought into that country in 1548. 
Turner, and also Gerard have treated of this tree, the latter of whom observes, 
" That though it is a tree of hot regions, yet we have them in our London 
gardens and orchards in great plenty, .flowering betimes with the peach, and 
ripening their fruit in August." It is at present in very general cultivation in 
England, chiefly for its flowers ; and in middle and southern Europe, northern 
Africa, the Canaries, and a part of Asia, for its fruit. 
This species, and several of the varieties, were introduced by the late William 
Prince, of Flushing, New York, previous to 1793, and they are cultivated both 
for ornament and their fruit in various states of the union. 
Poetical and Mythological Allusions. The following is the origin assigned by 
Grecian mythology to this tree, as given by Mr. Loudon, in his " Arboretum :"-" 
" Demophoon, son of Theseus, returning from Troy, was cast by a tempest on 
the coast of Thrace, where he was most hospitably received by the beautiful 
