FILBERT. 163 



It is supposed, that within a few miles round Maid- 

 stone in Kent, there are more filberts growing at the 

 present time than in all England besides, there being 

 several hundred acres planted with filbert-trees in the 

 vicinity of that town. The London market is entirely 

 supplied from thence with these nuts, which are excellent 

 in quality, and, if quite ripe, will keep good for several 

 years placed in a dry room. 



Filberts are not only much more agreeable than the 

 common nuts, but are esteemed wholesome and nourish- 

 ing when taken with moderation. The cream of these 

 nuts is good for the stone and heat of urine. Emulsions 

 may also be made of them. The Romans used them with 

 vinegar and wormwood-seed for the yellow jaundice. 



They were formerly used in this country to eat after 

 fish instead of cheese, to prevent the engendering of 

 phlegm. 



" Post pisces nuces, post carnes caseus adsit." 



Filberts are not found to answer well but on very few 

 soils : they seem to like a stony, sandy loam ; for in rich 

 soils they grow too luxuriantly to produce fruit, but much 

 depends on skill and management in pruning these trees. 

 In Kent, they are not suffered to grow above five or six 

 feet high, and are kept with a short stem, like a goose- 

 berry-bush, and very thin of wood, somewhat in the shape 

 of a punch-bowl. 



, 



" E'en winter oft has seen it gay, 



With fretted frost-work spangled o'er, 

 While pendants droop'd from every spray, 

 And crimson budlets told once more 

 That spring would all its charms restore !" 



From the class in which the tree is ranged in botany, it 

 will be observed, that the male and female flowers grow 



M 2 



