232 THE ALMOND. 



and the mountains of Asia, has long been cultivated, and is 

 mentioned in scripture as one of the charms of the fertile land 

 of Canaan. It so strongly resembles the peach tree that it is 

 difficult to distinguish it by the leaves and wood only ; indeed, 

 several botanists are of opinion, from experiments made in 

 raising the almond from seed, that this tree and the peach are 

 originally the same species, and that the rich and luscious 

 peach is the effect of accidental variation, produced by culture 

 on the almond. The chief distinction between the two in our 

 gardens lies in the fruit, which, in the almond, consists of little 

 more than a stone covered with a thick, dry, woolly skin, while 

 the peach has in addition a rich and luscious flesh. The blos- 

 soms of the almond resemble those of the peach, but are larger ; 

 they are produced in great profusion, early in the season, before 

 the leaves, and are very ornamental. 



Uses. The kernel of the s\yeet almond is highly esteemed as 

 an article of food, and is largely used as an ingredient in 

 confectionery, cookery, and perfumery. It is raised in great 

 quantities in the south of Europe, especially in Portugal, and is 

 an important article of commerce. The bitter almond is used 

 in cookery and confectionery, and in medicine ; it furnishes the 

 prussic acid of the shops, one of the most powerful of poisons. 

 From both species an oil is also obtained. 



In France the almond is preferred as a stock on which to 

 bud and graft the peach, which in a very dry climate or chalky 

 soil, it is found, renders the latter more healthy and fruitful than 

 its own bottom. The sweet hard-shelled variety [Douce a coque 

 dure,) is preferred for stocks by French nurserymen. 



Cultivation. The almond thrives best in a warm dry soil, 

 and its general cultivation in this country is precisely like that 

 of the peach. The sweet almond is the only variety considered 

 of value here, and i^ is usually propagated by budding it on 

 Plum stock, or on the bitter almond seedlings. It is rather 

 more hardy at the north when budded on the former, and as the 

 buds of the sweet almond are rather slender and small, the plum 

 stocks to be budded should be thrifty seedlings not more than 

 a fourth of an inch in diameter at the place where the bud is 

 inserted. 



The Common Almond, the Hard-Shell Sweet Almond, and 

 the Bitter Almond, are hardy in the latitude of New York, and 

 will bear tolerable crops without care. The Soft-Shell Sweet 

 Almond, or Ladies' Almond, will not thrive well in the open 

 garden as a standard, north of Philadelphia ; but they succeed 

 well trained to a wall or on espalier rails in a warm situation ; 

 the branches being slightly protected in winter. 



There is no apparent reason why the culture of the almond 

 should not be pursued to a profitable extent in the warm and 

 favourable climate of some of the southern states. Especially 



