430 



THE ALMOND. 



CHAPTER X. 



THE ALMOND. 



Amygdalus communis, Dec. Rosacea, of botanists. 

 Amandier, of the French ; Mandelbaum, German ; Mandorlo, Italian ; 

 Almendro, Spanish. 



The Almond-tree, which is a native of the north of Africa and the 

 mountains of Asia, has long been cultivated, and is mentioned in Scrip- 

 ture as one of the charms of the fertile land of Canaan. It so strongly 

 resembles the peach-tree that it is difficult to distinguish it by the leaves 

 and wood only ; indeed, several botanists are of opinion, from experi- 

 ments made in raising the almond from seed, that this tree and the 

 peach are originally the same species, and that the rich and luscious 

 peach is the effect of accidental variation, produced by culture on the 

 almond. The chief distinction between the two in our gardens lies in 

 the fruit, which, in the almond, consists of little more than a stone 

 covered with a thick, dry, woolly skin, while the peach has in addition 

 a rich and luscious flesh. The blossoms of the almond resemble those of 

 the peach, but are larger ; they are produced in great profusion, early in 

 the season, before the leaves, and are very ornamental. 



Uses. The kernel of the sweet almond is highly esteemed as an 

 article of food, and is largely used as an ingredient in confectionery, 

 cookery, and perfumery. It is raised in great quantities in the south of 

 Europe, especially in Portugal, and is an important article of commerce. 

 The bitter almond is used in cookery and confectionery, and in medi- 

 cine ; it furnishes the prussic acid of the shops, one of the most powerful 

 of poisons. From both species an oil is also obtained. 



In France the almond is preferred as a stock on which to bud and 

 graft the peach, which in a very dry climate or chalky soil, it is found, 

 renders the latter more healthy and fruitful than its own bottom. The 

 sweet hard-shelled variety {Douce a coque dure) is preferred for stocks 

 by French nurserymen. 



Cultivation. The almond thrives best in a warm dry soil, and its 

 general cultivation in this country is precisely like that of the peach. 

 The sweet almond is the only variety considered of value here, and it is 

 usually propagated by budding it on Plum stock, or on the bitter 

 almond seedlings. It is rather more hardy at the North when budded 

 on the former, and as the buds of the sweet almond are rather slender 

 and small, the plum stocks to be budded should be thrifty seedlings, not 

 more than a fourth of an inch in diameter at the place where the bud is 

 inserted. 



The Common Almond, the Hard- Shell Sweet Almond, and the Bitter 

 Almond, are hardy in the latitude of New York, and will bear tolera- 

 ble crops without care. The Soft-shell Sweet Almond, or Ladies' 

 Almond, will not thrive well in the open garden, as a standard, north 

 of Philadelphia; but they succeed well trained to a wall or on espalier 

 rails in a warm situation, the branches being slightly protected in 

 winter. 



There is no apparent reason why the culture of the almond should 

 not be pursued to a profitable extent in the warm and favorable climate 



