60 POPULAR ECONOMIC BOTANY. 



its agreeable flavour. The bitter almond is much smaller, 

 rounder, and thicker in proportion than either of the sweet 

 kinds ; its essential oil is a dangerous poison, consequently 

 the fruit is not a safe one to eat in any quantity ; its bitter 

 flavour will however prevent most persons from eating it. 

 The imports are about 300 tons per annum. 



The Hazel Nut. Corylus Avellana. (Nat. Ord. Co- 

 ry la cece.) 



This is the most familiar of all the edible nuts, and is 

 certainly one of the most ancient in its use, being also men- 

 tioned in] the same verse, with the almond, above quoted 

 from Genesis. The nut is found growing wild in all the 

 forests of the temperate parts of Europe ; it is also abun- 

 dant in many parts of Asia. There are the filberts of 

 Jerusalem, 



" And sweet nuts 

 From the far groves of Samarcand." 



The Jerusalem Filbert, one of the Asiatic varieties, is oc- 

 casionally imported in small quantities ; it has the shape of 

 the common filbert, but is rather flatter j the kernel is dry, 

 and by no means equal to the generality of nuts. 



Another Asiatic nut, the Eed Smyrna (Corylus Colurna), 

 is remarkable for the thinness of its shell ; it is much used 



