162 





FILBERT. CORYLUS. 



Natural order, Amentacea. A germs of the Monacia 

 Polyandria class. 



FILBERTS were originally brought out of Pontus into 

 Natolia and Greece, and were therefore called Pontic 

 nuts : from thence they were procured by the Romans, 

 and brought into Italy, where they acquired the name of 

 Abellan, or Avellan nuts, from Abella or Avella, a town 

 of Campania, where the best were cultivated, (Pliny, 

 b. xv. c. 22.) and from thence arose the French name 

 Aveline. 



When first known in this country, they were called nuts 

 with full beards, to distinguish them from the common 

 hazel nut, as it will be observed that the husk or covering 

 of this nut resembles a man's full beard : this was first 

 corrupted into filbeard and filberd, and from thence into 

 filbert. 



These nuts still continue to be cultivated in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Avelino, and, according to Mr. Swinburn's 

 account, the whole face of the neighbouring valley is 

 covered with them, and which, in good years, brings in a 

 profit of 60,000 ducats (11,250/.) 



The inhabitants of Avelino refresh the roots of these 

 trees with new earth, and prune off the straggling shoots 

 with great attention. Evelyn tells us in his "Silva," 

 that his family name was derived from Avelin : " I find 

 (says he) some ancient records and deeds in my cus- 

 tody, where my ancestors' names were written Avelan, 

 alias pvelin, generally." 



