(_Amygdalus communis L._)
And it came to pass that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle
of witness; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was
budded, and brought forth buds, and blossomed blossoms, and yielded
_almonds_.--Numbers 17:8.
The almond is the fruit of a small tree (Amygdalus communis) belonging
to the Rose family (Rosaceae). The plant is believed to be a native of
northern Africa, Persia and Turkestan. It occurs wild in Sicily and
Greece and is cultivated throughout temperate Europe, including England.
The leaves of the almond tree are simple, broadly lanceolate, margins
serrate, bright green and stalked. The flowers are nearly sessile,
mostly solitary, petals bright pink; otherwise similar to the flowers
of the rose family as seen in the apple blossom, cherry blossom and
the wild rose. The fruit is a drupe or stone fruit, resembling the
peach in its general structural characters. It is, however, much
smaller, measuring about one and one-half inch in length. As in the
peach the outer portion of the fruit coat (sarcocarp) is fleshy, the
inner portion (endocarp or putamen) is hard and encloses the kernel or
seed to which the term almond is usually applied. The plant is very
ornamental, producing its beautiful flowers in March before the leaves
are developed.
Two natural varieties of almonds are quite universally recognized, the
sweet (A. communis var dulcis) and the bitter (A. communis var amara).
They resemble each other so closely in general appearance that it is
practically impossible to distinguish between them. The principal
difference lies in the chemistry of the kernels or seeds themselves.
In the bitter variety amygdalin is found, which is practically wanting
in the sweet variety. Some botanists describe quite a number of
varieties. Karsten, for instance, describes five varieties of A.
communis, namely, dulcis, amara, fragilis, macrocarpa and persicoides.
Boissier in his Flora Orientalis describes as many as seventeen
distinct species.
The almond tree is one of the oldest of the cultivated plants. It
was a great garden favorite in and about Palestine. It is frequently
mentioned in the books of Moses. In Exodus 25:34, we find that the
"candlestick shall have four bowls made like unto almonds." As
explained in the 8th verse of chapter 17 of Numbers the blossoming
rod of Aaron was from an almond tree. Even to this day Jews carry
rods bearing almond blossoms to the synagogues on great festival
days. The Romans designated the almonds (the kernels or seeds with
the hard endocarp or shell) Nuces graecae (Greek nuts), from which it
is concluded that the almond tree was brought to Italy from Greece.
Almond oil was known to the ancient Greek and Roman writers. Plinius
and Dioscorides make reference to the gum which exudes from the bark.
Karl der Grosse (Charlemagne) recommended the cultivation of almonds
in Germany. In view of the fact that some authorities state that the
sweet variety is a product of cultivation, it is interesting to note
that the two varieties have been known equally long. The bitter variety
was described by Scribonius Largus and Plinius. Alexander Trallianus
described the medicinal virtues of the oil of bitter almonds.
Palladinus gave directions how to convert the bitter variety into the
sweet variety by methods of cultivation. Later experiments have,
however, proven this to be a false conclusion.
[Illustration: ALMOND.
FROM KOEHLER'S MEDICINAL-PFLANZEN.
CHICAGO:
A. W. MUMFORD, PUBLISHER.]
Description of Plate:--A, B, branch with flowers and fruit; 1, 1a,
flowers from different trees; 2, 2a, petals; 3, stamens; 4, pollen; 5,
stamen; 6, 7, ovary; 8, 9, seed with shell; 10, seed without shell; 11,
12, sections of seed.
The fruit and seeds of several other plants are known as almonds. The
seeds of the African shrub Brabejum stellatifolium are known as African
almonds. Country almonds is a name given to the fruit of the East
Indian tree Terminalia Catappa. The fruit of Canarium commune is known
as Java almonds.
At the present time the sweet almond is extensively cultivated in
northern Africa, southern Europe and in the warmer parts of the
United States, particularly in California. Climatic conditions and
cultivation have a great influence upon the quality of the almonds and
we have as a result quite a number of commercial varieties, just as
we have commercial varieties of coffee, tea, oranges, etc. The more
important commercial varieties are the Jordan, Valencia, Barbary and
California almonds. These vary somewhat in size, form and thickness
of the kernel and the hardness and thickness of the shell (endocarp).
The Jordan almonds are imported from Malaga (Spain) and are said to be
the finest. They differ from the others in the greater length of the
kernel (seed), for which reason they are also known as long almonds.
These are official in the English Pharmacopoeia because they are not
readily confused with other sweet varieties and the bitter almond. The
Valencia almonds come from the Balearic islands (Majorca); they are
characterized by a comparatively soft shell and are less highly prized
than the Jordan or the California almonds. The Barbary almonds from
northern Africa are quite small and unsightly and for those reasons
have comparatively little commercial value. In the United States the
principal commercial variety is the California almond. The kernel is
shorter and flatter than that of the Jordan almond, but almost equal to
it in quality. It is extensively cultivated, about one hundred trees
being planted to the acre. The trees attain a height of fifteen to
twenty feet and begin to yield when three years old. In California it
is customary to bleach the almonds by exposing them to the vapor of
burning sulphur, which also destroys insect parasites which attack
almonds very readily.
Other less important sweet commercial varieties are the Provence
almonds of southern France, the Florence and Ambrosia almonds of
Sicily, the Pitti almonds of Portugal and the small Puglia almonds of
Italy.
The bitter almond seeds are as a rule somewhat shorter, broader and
thinner than those of the larger, sweet varieties. Those found upon the
market are largely from northern Africa, Sicily and southern France.
The principal constituents of sweet almonds are a fixed oil, sugar,
some albuminoid substances, and perhaps a small quantity of amygdalin
or a substance akin to it. The purified fixed oil from both varieties
of almonds is a bland, thin, pale yellow liquid, having a faint taste
and odor of the almond. When exposed to the air it becomes rancid
quite readily. Medicinally it finds use as an emollient in external
applications. Taken internally in small doses it is nutritious; in
large doses laxative. Mixed with mucilage or yolk of eggs and sugar it
is found useful in allaying troublesome coughs due to irritation of the
throat. It also finds a table use similar to that of olive oil.
Bitter almonds contain a very poisonous volatile oil in addition to
the fixed oil just described. In small quantities this oil finds a use
for flavoring by the cook and confectioner, and by the perfumer for
scenting toilet soaps and for other purposes. This oil is obtained by
distillation after the fixed oil has been expressed. It is the product
of the decomposition of amygdalin under the influence of emulsin and
water. The poisonous properties of this oil are due to the hydrocyanic
acid which is present. This acid may be removed and the oil is then
known as purified oil of bitter almonds. Even the purified oil is not
safe, as it decomposes quite readily unless all of the water is removed
by the use of fused chloride of lime.
The symptoms of poisoning from the oil of bitter almonds, or from
a quantity of the bitter almonds, are the same as from a dose of
hydrocyanic acid. Medicinally the oil is used like hydrocyanic acid
in various disorders of nervous origin, as whooping cough, spasmodic
troubles, etc.
Sweet almonds are variously employed. Roasted and salted almonds are
very much liked by everybody. Almonds for the table must first be
"blanched," that is, the outer, reddish brown, thin seed coat must be
removed, as it contains irritant properties. They are used in making
cake and other pastry. Cake or bread made from almond meal has been
recommended as a substitute for ordinary bread in the treatment of
diabetes, as it is free from starch, a food substance which proves
harmful in this disease. Almond cake is a term applied to the crushed
seeds from which the oil has been expressed. Finely-powdered this
is used for washing hands and face. Almond paste is a cosmetic made
from powdered bitter almonds, white of egg, rose water and rectified
spirits. It is used to soften the skin and prevent chapping of hands.
An emulsion of sweet almonds is also used as a substitute for milk in
feeding infants.
Albert Schneider.
* * * * *
Nature, the Vicar of the Almightie Lord.
--Chaucer, "The Assembly of Foules."
All Nature is but art, unknown to thee;
All chance, direction, which thou canst not see;
All discord, harmony not understood;
All partial evil, universal good;
And, spite of pride, in erring reason's spite,
One truth is clear, whatever is, is right.
--Pope, "Essay on Man."
Nature is a frugal mother, and never gives without measure.
--Emerson, "Essays."
But who can paint
Like Nature! Can imagination boast
Amid its gay creations hues like hers?
--Thompson, "Seasons."
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| Transcriber's Note: |
| |
| Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. |
| |
| Punctuation and spelling were made consistent when a predominant |
| form was found in this book; otherwise they were not changed. |
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| Ambiguous hyphens at the ends of lines were retained. |
| |
| Mid-paragraph illustrations have been moved between paragraphs |
| and some illustrations have been moved closer to the text that |
| references them. |
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| Italicized words are surrounded by underline characters, |
| _like this_. |
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| The Contents table was added by the transcriber. |
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