458 ON THE TRADE IN NUTS, 



The sweet variety of the almond was well represented at the late 

 Exhibition in the French Court, by M. de Bee, Director of the Agricul- 

 tural School of Montaurone, Bouches de Bhone, whose description of 

 the principal varieties was recently published in this Journal.* The 

 production of almonds is for Provence a very fertile source of revenue, as 

 the quality of the product is excellent and the frost does not kill the 

 blossoms. The ordinary varieties produced there are the Crombecs and 

 other semi-hard kinds called Aberanes, Matherones and Molieres sold 

 generally in the shell ; the Princesses, consumed in France, Belgium 

 Holland, Germany, and Russia ; the variety called Ladies, sent exclusively 

 to the United States, and where the import of almonds is from 3 to 5 

 million pounds a year ; and the " flot " variety employed chiefly for 

 confectionary and burnt almonds. This last kind is peculiar to Lower 

 Provence, the best being grown about Aix. These are consumed entirely, 

 in Paris, a and double the quantity of these is sold over other sorts because 

 they keep best. 



The Jordan almonds which come from Malaga were formerly the 

 highest priced of any, but those from France, from the care in cultivat- 

 ing good varieties, now fetch a better price. The imports of almonds 

 into France in I860 were 714,258 kilogrammes, and the exports 

 2,379,839 kilogrammes. In this country, although many kinds are now 

 imported, Ave have chiefly clung to two varieties, known as Jordan and 

 Valencia almonds. The Jordan almond is characterised by a longer, 

 narrower, and more pointed kernel, about one inch long. The Valencia 

 almond is somewhat shorter, and broad in proportion to its length. 

 "Nearly half the sweet almonds now imported, 11,000 cwt, come from 

 Morocco, 11,000 cwt. more from Spain and Gibraltar, and about 2,000 

 cwt. each from Italy, Portugal, and France. 



The bitter almonds, 7000 to 8000 cwts. in quantity, come almost 

 exclusively from Morocco, chiefly from Mogadore. They are employed 

 in the preparation of noyeau, macaroons and ratafia cakes. By the 

 cook and confectioner they are used for flavouring, and are occasionally 

 employed for medicines. 



In France the fine almonds, as the Princesses, the Ladies, &c, are 

 sold wholesale in the shell, and the hardshelled almonds also, the 

 expense of breaking them being repaid by the value of the shells, which 

 serve for fuel. Different varieties of almonds yield of course different 

 proportions of kernel and shell. According to M. Arnaud, 16 decalitres 

 of wild almonds in the shell yielded 16 kilogrammes of almonds ; 

 the same quantity of large green, 18 kilogrammes. Again 16 decalitres 

 of " flots or trochets " gave 26 kilogrammes of almonds. The hectolitre 

 of almonds in the shell weighs about 56 kilogrammes. The price varies, 

 but the average a few years ago was for the Princesses 100 francs the 



- Sep •' Technologist/ anti p. 223. 



