THE ALMOND. 



595 



washed off with clear water. The curled leaves, however, bemg better than 

 no leaves at all, should not be taken off till the shoot has elongated and pro- 

 duced two or three perfect leaves. For the other insects mentioned, wash- 

 ing abundantly with lime-water, or even with common clear water, will in 

 general keep them under. In order to destroy the eggs of insects which 

 may be deposited on the branches, many gardeners wash them over after the 

 spring pruning with a mixture of lime-water, so thick as to act like white- 

 wash, and form an incrustation on the shoots, which prevents or retards the 

 hatching of the eggs by the exclusion of air ; others use a mixture of soft- 

 soap, sulphur, lime, and soot, which destroys the eggs ; and some use soft- 

 soap and sulphur alone. In general, however, where the trees and soil are 

 in a good state, and their treatment proper, the free use of clear water will 

 answer the purpose of all other washes. Woodlice, earwigs, the large blue 

 fly, and wasps, attack the fruit when it is ripening, and may be collected by 

 means of bundles of bean-stalks or reeds, flower-pots partially stufled with 

 hay, and glasses or bottles of sugared water. See the Chapter on Insects. 



1312. The essential points of peach culture are thus given by Mr. Callow, 

 already mentioned : — " Use a strong loam for the border ; never crop it ; 

 add no manure ; keep the trees thin of wood by disbudding and the early 

 removal of useless wood ; shorten each shoot according to its strength, at the 

 spring pruning ; elevate the ends of the leading branches so that they may 

 all form the same curvilinear inclination with the horizon and, what is of 

 the utmost importance in the culture of the peach, at all times keep the trees 

 in a clean and healthy state." — (Gard. Mag. vol. x. p. 40.) 



1313. Forcing the peach and nectarine. — See 989 to 1017. 



SuBSECT. III.— The Almond. 



1314. The Almond, Amygdalus L. (Amandier, Fr. ; Mandelbaum, Ger.; 

 Amandelboom, Dutch; Mandorlo, Ital. ; and Almendro, Span.; Arb. Brit. 

 vol. ii. p. 674 ; and Encyc. of Trees and Shrubs, p. 263), is a deciduous 

 tree, a native of Persia and other Eastern countries, closely resembling the 

 peach, and supposed, as we have already observed (1286), to be that fruit 

 in its unimproved state. There are two kinds — the common or sweet 

 almond, (A. communis, Z/.), and the bitter almond (A. c. amara, Dec.) 

 Though these sorts are kept nominally distinct, yet when either are raised 

 from seed, both bitter and sweet almonds are frequently found on the 

 same tree ; and this is frequently the case even with grafted varieties. 

 Of both the bitter and the sweet almond, the kernel of the stone is the only 

 part used ; that of the sweet almond is brought to the dessert in an imper- 

 fectly ripe, and also in a ripe, and in a dried state. Both kinds are culti- 

 vated in the south of Europe, and in the Levant. The kernels are much 

 used in cookery, confectionery, perfumery, and medicine. The varieties 

 best deserving culture are, the tender-shelled, the fruit of wdiich is small ; 

 the sweet, which is larger ; and the Jordan, w^hich is also large and sweet. 

 These and all the other varieties are propagated by budding on the plum, and 

 sometimes on seedling almonds for dry situations. The trees are commonly 

 grown as standards, and as such will ripen fruit in fine seasons as far north 

 as York ; but at Edinburgh they require a wall. In Britain, the tree is 

 more valued for its blossoms than for its fruit ; but nevertheless, in every 

 suburban garden, where there is room, there ought to be a tree or two for 

 the latter purpose, as well as several for the former. 



