257 



water. Thus a palatable and wholesome sort of cream for 

 tea or coifee is obtained at any moment. There exist hard 

 and soft shelled varieties of both the sweet and bitter 

 Almond. In time, they should form an important article of 

 our exports. Almonds can even be grown on sea shores. 

 The crystalline Amygdalin can best be prepared from bitter 

 Almonds, through removing the oil by pressure, then sub- 

 jecting them to distillation with alcohol, and finally precipi- 

 tating with JEther. The volatile bitter Almond oil — a very 

 dangerous substance — is obtained by aqueous distillation. 

 Dissolved in alocohol, it forms the Essence of Almonds. 

 This can also be prepared from peach kernels. 



Anacyclus Pyrethrum, Candolle. 



Countries near the Mediterranean Sea. The root is used 

 medicinally. 



Andropogon avenaceus, Michaux. 



(Sorghum avenaceum, Chapman.) 

 North and Central America. This tall perennial grass 

 lives in dry, sandy soil, and should here be tried for growth 

 of fodder. 



Andropogon tricolor, Roxburgh. 



Warmer parts of Asia. One of the annual tall Sorghums" 

 It ripens its seeds in three or four months from the time of 

 sowing, the produce in good soil being often upwards of one 

 hundredfold. It is a wholesome gram. 



Andropogon Calamus, Royle. 



Central India. The Sweet Calamus of the Ancients. From 

 this species the Gringergrass-oil of Nemaur is distilled, an 

 article much used in perfumery. 



Andropogon cernuus, Roxb. (Sorghum cerntmm, "Willd.) 



One of the Guinea Corns. India, where it is much culti- 

 vated, and so also in other tropical countries. It is peren- 

 nial, and forms the " staff of life of the mountaineers " 

 beyond Bengal. It reaches a height of 15 feet, with leaves 

 over 3 feet long. The thick stems are rooting at the lower 

 joints, and cattle are very fond of them. The grain is white. 

 The specific limits of the various Sorghums are not well 

 ascertained. 



