260 NATURAL HISTORY. 



The almond tree bears a stone fruit, with a very thin, 

 dry, uneatable pulp : the whole is enveloped in a green- 

 ish colored woolly skin. Within this green pod is the 

 fruit or kernel, the well known, rich, and well-flavored 

 Almond. Native of North Africa, Palestine, and 

 Greece. One species, the Bitter Almond, contains, 

 besides a richer oil, useful for many purposes, the more 

 formidable ingredient known as Prussia Acid; there- 

 fore the bitter almond is altogether poisonous to small 

 animals, and can not be eaten, except in small quantity, 

 by human beings, without fatal consequences. Some- 

 times cultivated as far north as the milder portions of 

 Germany, mostly as grafted on another tree of the same 

 family. One species has a very slight, fragile shell, and 

 called the Paper Shell, is preferred by many. y : . 



The Single Floicering Almond (Amygdalis nana), 

 Willd., about three feet high, and branching; leaves 

 ovate and finely toothed; flowers numerous. Petals 

 oblong, obtuse, and rose-colored. Blooms in May or 

 June. 2. 



The Dwarf Double Flowering Almond (Amygdalis 

 pumila) is a low shrub, highly ornamental, common in 

 cultivation. Stems two two three feet high, branching. 

 Leaves lanceolate, acute at each end, and smooth. Native 

 of China. Flowers very numerous, clothing the whole 

 shrub in their roseate hue, while the leaves are small. 

 Blooms in May or June. 2. 



The Peach Tree (Amygdalus persica). Tourn. Named 

 from Persia, its native country. Leaves, lanceolate and 

 serrate; flowers solitary, appearing before the leaves; 

 drupe or seed, with the flesh or pulp white or yellow : 

 outer covering woolly. The kernel is very bitter, and 

 contains a considerable quantity of Prussic acid. Among 



