Seed of the Almond Tree. By T. A. Knight, Esq. 3 



existed in Persia, a few centuries previous to the period of its 

 appearance in Europe, or the Greeks must necessarily have 

 known it; as much intercourse constantly took place between 

 the Asiatic Greeks and the Persians, and the Kings of Persia 

 usually entertained Greek physicians, who were botanists, in 

 their court. The Tuberes of Pliny also appear to have been 

 something intermediate between the Almond and Peach ; for 

 he states the trees, which produced this fruit, to have been 

 propagated by being grafted upon Plum stocks* and to have 

 blossomed later than the Apricot ;t and that the fruit itself 

 was covered thickly with down, like the Quince.! 



The Tuberes must, therefore, I conceive, have been swollen 

 Almonds, or imperfect Peaches, (for their merit, as fruit, ap- 

 pears to have been very inconsiderable,) and Du Hamel has 

 given an account of a fruit, which accurately corresponds with 

 this description, being sometimes produced by a variety of 

 Almond tree in France ; and which, he says, is bitter, and not 

 eatable in its crude state.§ 



The bitterness, in this case, I conclude, can only arise from 

 the presence of the Prussic acid ; and as this acid, without 

 being extracted by distillation, operates very injuriously upon 

 many constitutions, some explanation appears to be given 

 of the cause why the Peach was reported to possess delete- 

 rious qualities, when it first came from Persia into the Roman 

 empire. 1 1 



* Lib. 17. cap. 14. f Lib. 16. cap. 42. + Lib. 15. cap. 14. 



§ Du Hamel, Arb. Fruit. Article Amygdalus. 

 || Columella, Lib. 10. 



Stipantur calathi et pomis, quae barbara Persis 



Miserat (ut fama est) patriis armata venenis. 



