AIM ox D. 83 



of the East. Servius tells that Phyllis was ehanged by 

 the gods into an almond tree as au eternal compensation 

 for her desertion by her lover^ Demophoon^ which caused her 

 death by grief. But when it was all too late to claim his 

 bride. Demophoon returned, and the tree, leatless, flower- 

 less, and forlorn, was shown him as the memorial of Phyllis. 

 He clasped the tree in his arms, and thereupon it shot 

 forth a new growth, and flowered gloriously — an endilem 

 of the true love that even death cannot extinguish. 



The almond is one of the Itest of garden trees, for 

 when its early and delightful flowers have given us glad- 

 ness, its green leaves appear, and render it a m(jst cheerful 

 occupant of the shrubbery. In the southern counties it 

 is no uncommon CA'cnt for the tree to produce a fair cr(ip 

 of fruit ; but in less favijured parts the production of f I'uit 

 is a rare occurrence. 



In a few gardens in France and Belgium the almond 

 is grown for its fruit, in which case the tender-shelled 

 varieties are preferred, and the cultivation is the same 

 as for the jwach. In this country we occasionally meet 

 with the almond as a fruit tree grown in pots in the 

 orchard or peach-house, in which case a varietj' known as 

 " The Princess " has the preference, because of its dwarf 

 habit and readiness to fruit when young. Tlie fruit of the 

 almond, as it falls from the tree, may be likened to ugly, 

 ill-faviDured peaches ; it has a downy coat of a dingj- 

 green colour, with a tinge of sad red ; and a thin layer of 

 austere flesh covers the shell of the proper almond. The 

 sorts are distinguished as sweet and bitter; but the climate 

 has something to do with that jjart of the business. 



For ordinary garden purposes the common almond, as 

 grown in all good nurseries, is sufficient. For thd culti- 



