THE HAZEL NUT. 



61 



for expressing oil ; its edible qualities are not equal to the 

 European varieties; large quantities are however occasionally 

 brought. From Spain we receive two varieties of the com- 

 mon hazel nut : one^ called the Black Spanish, is the fresh 

 fruit ; the other, called the Barcelona, is probably the same 

 variety of nut, but is always hiln-dned before exportation. 

 The Gilbert (a corruption of full-heard) and the Cob-nut, 

 two improved varieties of the common nut, are occasionally 

 brought from other countries, but they are usually cultivated 

 in England in sufRcient quantities to supply the demand. 



The hazel nut belongs to the Linnsean Class and Order 

 Monoecia Poli/andria, that is, the stamens and pistils are in 

 different flowers, but on the same plant. Like most others 

 of the Natural Order CorylacecB, it produces the stamen 

 flowers in the form of catkins, which make their appearance 

 in autumn, and keep on growing until Eebruary, when the 

 pistil flowers are first seen ; these are not so conspicuous as 

 the male catkins ; they consist merely of a bud, similar to 

 the leaf- buds, with the pistils projecting in the form of a 

 small crimson feathery tuft. It requires a close inspection 

 to find the pistil flowers, but their beauty will well repay the 

 trouble. In Kent, where cob-nuts and filberts are very 

 much cultivated, the fertility of the pistil flowers is ensured 



