264 



ARBORETUM ET FRUTICETUM BRITANNICUM. 



42.'j. v4nifgdalus comm\!lilis> 



f A. c. 2 didcis Dec, Lam. 111. t. 430. llie sweet Almond. Aiiiantlier 

 a petits Fruits, Amande douce, Fr. ; susse Mandel, Ger. Leaves 

 grey-green. Flowers protruded earlier than the leaves. Styles much 

 longer than the stamens. Fruit ovate-compressed, acuminate. Shell 

 hard. Kernel sweet-flavoured. Cultivated in the same places as the 

 preceding sort, and generally propagated by grafting standard high on 

 the bitter almond, or any strong-growing seedling almonds, in order 

 to make sure of the fruit being sweet. 



"Y A. c. '.i Jlore plena Baum. Cat. has double flowers. 



*i. A. c. 4 fvliis variegdtis Baum. Cat. has variegated leaves. 



Y A. c. 5frdgUh Ser., Dec. Prod. 2. p. 531. A. fragilis Hell 1. p. 500. ; 

 Aniandier des Dames, iV. Da Ham! 4^. p. 113., Noisette Jard, Fruit. 

 p. 7. ; Coque molle, Amandier a Coque tendre, 7^?-. ; Abellan, Pro- 

 vence. Flowers protruded at the same time as the leaves, ami of a 

 pale rose colour. Petals broader, and deeply emarginate. Leaves 

 shorter ; the petioles thick. Fruit acuminate ; shell soft ; kernel 

 sweet-flavoured. Cultivated for its fruit. 



f A. c. 6 macrocarpa Ser., Dec. Proil. 2. p. 53 L Amandier a gros 

 Fruits, N. Du Ham. 4. p. 112., Noisette Jard. Fruit, p. 7. ; Amandier 

 Sultane, Amandier des Dames, Amandier Pistache, Fr. Leaves 

 broader, acuminate, scarcely grey. Peduncles short, turgid. Flowers 

 of a very pale rose colour, large, protruded before the leaves. Petals 

 broadly obcordate, waved. Fruit large, umbilicate at the base, acu- 

 minate at the tip ; shell hard. There are two subvarieties, one with 

 the fruit rather smaller, called, commonly, in France, Amandier Sul- 

 tane; and another, with the fruit still smaller, called there Amandier 

 Pistache; the kernels of both of which are considered remarkably 

 delicate, and are preferred for tlie table. The flowers of this variety 

 are always produced earlier than those of any other; and the kernels 

 of the fruit are idways sweet. In British gardens, the A. c. macro- 

 carpa has much the largest flowers of any of the varieties. It is a 



