September 1, 1904 
cely one left to serye even as a rubbing- 
post for cattle. The reason for this might 
perhaps be easily shown, though it is not 
my intention to discuss it at present; but 
when we see upon what small plots of 
ground the inhabitants of England and 
Continental nations manage to make a 
comfortable subsistence, at times paying 
high rents, it must force us to the conclu- 
sion that the large areas we grant (and 
will most probably increase) to individual 
selilers is not an unmixed good. I have 
no hesitation in stating that there is no 
part of our colony that will produce cereals 
which will not-also grow trees, shrubs, or 
piants of various kinds that would tend 
not only to protect and beautify the home- 
stead, but give protection to cattle, bring 
profit to the general fund, give pleasure and 
amusement to the family, generate feelings 
of patriotism and loyalty, elevate the 
mind, and improve the manners of the ris- 
ing generation, and generally help to in- 
crease the comfort and happiness of homes, 
and make lives more worth living. The 
“minor industries’ must of necessity de- 
pend on soil, climate, and surrounding cir- 
sumstances; but there are two at least 
that may be attempted with a great chance 
of success by our settlers and farmers in 
all but the very coldest situations. TI al- 
fude to the growth of the almond and 
olive; bub, except to bear testimony ‘to 
the great usefulness of the olive in the 
econemy of farming, its hardiness, the 
small amount of cultivation necessary, its 
great value as food for poultry, sheep, pigs, 
znd even cattle, and the high position it 
zs destined to take among our commercial 
xesources, IT do not at present intend to al- 
dude to it. T will, therefore, confine my- 
seli to the cultivation of the almond. ‘T 
use the word ‘cultivation’ because there is 
a widespread opinion prevailing that al- 
monds do not require to be cultivated— 
some will assert that it is detrimental to 
them; but this is a most fallacious doc- 
trine, for although hardy, few trees are 
more susceptible of kindness, or would give 
better returns for a little care and nourish- 
ment. It is rarely that it has a. chance 
situations not ‘considered good enough for 
ordinary fruit trees, and when planted is 
supposed to take care of itself without / 
pruning or any attention whatever.  Tts 
original habitat is ascribed by some autho- 
rities to Syria and Arabia, others to Bar- 
Bary and Morocco, 
temperate portions of the world. Tt first 
came into notice when Jacob sent his sons - 
into Egypt; we next meet with it when. - 
and > 
Aaron’s rod budded, blossomed, 
brought, forth almonds; and-the decora- 
tions of the Tabernacle were ‘fashioned 
after the manner of almond branches’ It 
4s often mentioned by ancient writers, and 
#ccasionally met with in mythology. Al- 
though so long in favor, it does not appear 
om have been generally cultivated in 
used with extreme caution. 
“produce the latter. 
in them is that one has a hard tough shell, 
-and the other a soft friable one; although 
Po tatcsed Sataireerastieee a niente: ~ generally the kernels of the hard-shells are 
OS 5 ra. tanted in 
duce of unworked seedling trees, none that 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
Europe, excepting Greece (Cato, B.c 300, 
calls them Greek nuts), until comparatively 
recent times. I can find no authentic ac- 
count of the time it was introduced into 
italy, France, and Spain, but the first al- 
mond tree planted in England was plant- 
ed in the reign of Henry VIII., 1548; but 
although commonly grown there, it is 
more as an ornamental trée than for the 
sake of its fruit, as it is only in mild genial 
seasons that it ripens, and then is of infe- 
rior quality. Until recently the almond and 
peach were classed as species of the genus 
Amyegdalus, but of late years authorities 
have separated them, forming a distinct 
one (Persica) for the peach, retaining the 
original for the several species of almonds. 
The botanical difference exists chiefly in 
the pericarp, but appears sufficiently per- 
‘manent to render its separation desirable, 
although there can be no doubt the distine- 
tion is not aboriginal, for we often meet 
with almonds.that can scarcely be dis- 
tinguished from peach stones, and others 
‘with pericarps of considerable substance. 
For trade purposes they are generally di- 
‘vided into three classes—hard-shell, soft- 
shell, and bitter. The bitter almond con- 
tuins a large percentage of prussic acid, is 
‘very poisonous, and chiefly used for che- 
mical and medicinal purposes, though to a 
‘small extent for flavoring confectionery, 
scups, &c.; but it should in all cases be 
The flower is 
generally larger and whiter than the com- - 
“mon, and it is held by some writers to be a 
distinct species from it, and that it can 
only be produced by its own seed ; but 
this is doubtful, as many growers in this 
colony assert that they often raise bitter 
almonds from sweet seed. There is no ap- 
parent difference between it and the com- 
mon hard-shell, and it can only be distin- 
guished by the taste of the kernel. Hard 
and soft.shells are of the same species, and 
“the seed of the latter will often produce 
the former ; but it is seldom the former will 
The only difference 
swéeter and proportionately larger than 
_ those of the soft, and they usually undergo 
the process of being shelled before being’ ~ 
taken to market, and as a rule are the pro- 
we have fruited possessing merits of dis- 
* tinctive attributes sufficient to be consid- 
and again to Agia ~ @ 
Minor; but wherever it may have been, at ’ 
= very early date it became acclimatised - 
over a vast extent of territory, and is now ” 
grown more or less in all the warm and - 
ered desirable sorts to perpetuate. The 
most valuable hard-shell is that known as 
the Jordan—a long roundish variety with 
a sharp point turned a little to the one 
side. It was introduced into this ‘colony 
by Dr. Schomburgk. Soft-shells are grown © 
to a greater extent, and in immense var- 
iety, but the most popular is ‘that known 
as the Brandis—a chance seedling raised 
about four miles from Adelaide in the early 
days of the colony by the person whose 
name it bears. The tree is distinct: from all 
others, being of upright growth, with clean 
wood and fine foliage, the fruit large and 
handsome, and the kernel very sweet, with 
a delicious flavor. Tt is the most market- 
“rose, Wilmington, on 
11 
able variety we have, and always realises . 
the highest price. | There are many others 
propagated, and known as Paper-shell, 
Picnic, Nonpareil, Murray’s Seedling, &c. ; 
but the beauty of the tree and the proper- 
ties of the fruit of the Brandis are such 
that persons planting rarely plant any 
other, and the popularity of this variety is 
not merely local, for in all the colonies it 
is held in the highest estimation. It is, 
in fact, the only soft-shell almond we can 
export with much advantage, some of the 
colonies refusing to take any other. In 
early spring the almond is one of the most 
conspicuous ttees in our gardens, being the 
first to come into flower. For this reason 
it is commonly grown in England as an 
ornamental tree, and I haye known. in- 
stances where the owners haye been very 
proud of their few sickly-looking, blighted 
specimens, and treat them with the 
greatest amount of deference and care; 
but as an ornamental tree it will never be 
esteemed here. - We look upon it merely 
as a medium of profit, and insist on secur- 
ing that profit with the smallest possible 
outlay.. It rarely ever gets a chance to 
‘Succeed, and although other trees are often 
‘killed with~ kindness, I doubt if ever an 
almond-tree suffered from. that cause, 
‘though we have innumerable instances 
where they have died of sheer neglect, be- 
ing literally starved to death. Prover- 
bially it is a gross feeder, and for this rea- 
‘son if kept without food, of necessity has 
to send its roots long distances on foraging 
excursions, and is condemned for trying to 
carry out Nature’s first law; schemes of 
all sorts are resorted to for the purpose of 
keeping it within bounds, but the most 
“simple and effectual of all, that of provid- 
ing it with nourishment, is rarely tried. 
We have vast tracts of country eminently 
adapted for the cultivation of almonds. In 
the suburbs of Adelaide, from the foot of 
the hills to the coast, and for several miles - 
south they do remarkably weil. 
Going 
nerthwards, they flourish admirably on the 
"flats and sunny slopes to a ‘considerable 
' distance beyond the Burra—notably in the 
vicinities of Salisbury, Gawler, Freeling, 
' Angaston, Clare, Auburn, Farrell’s Flat, 
and Saddleworth. At Yarcowie and Tero- - 
wie, and the country lying to the north- 
east, they are not a success, but at Mel- 
to Wooclundunga, 
Pichirichi, Quorn, and Horrocks’ Pass 
they again thrive in a remarkable manner. 
and most probably would at Hawker and 
Cradock. The greater part of Yorke’s 
~ Peninsula and several districts lying to the 
north of it should suit them well. At 
Belalie, Caltowie, Booleroo, Gladstone, 
Gulnare, Narridy, and Yacka I am inform- 
ed they grow luxuriantly. Among the 
slopes of the Mannanarie Ranges, in the 
district of Tarcowie, at Napperby and Wir- 
rabara, they are doing well. On the whole 
extent of country lying to the west of the 
Flinders Range they ought to succeed 
splendidly, besides a. host of other places 
and districts—in fact, except in situations 
that suffer from severe early frosis or a 
continuation of intense cold, they are well 
