1548. Whether by a suburban roadside, or even in the heart of the
crowded city, the Almond seems quite at home, and is at once one of the
loveliest and most welcome of early spring-flowering trees. The flowers
are rather small for the family, pale pink, and produced in great
quantity before the leaves. There are several distinct forms of the
Almond, differing mainly in the colour of the flowers, one being pink,
another red, while a third has double flowers. P. Amygdalus macrocarpa
(Large-fruited Almond) is by far the handsomest variety in cultivation,
the flowers being large, often 3 inches in diameter, and white tinged
with pink, particularly at the base of the petals. The flowers, too, are
produced earlier than those of any other Almond, while the tree is of
stout growth and readily suited with both soil and site.

P. AMYGDALUS DULCIS (_syn A. dulcis_), Sweet Almond, of which there are
three distinct varieties, P.A. dulcis purpurea, P.A. dulcis macrocarpa,
and P.A. dulcis pendula, should be included in every collection of these
handsome flowering plants.

P. AVIUM JULIANA (_syn Cerasus Juliana_).--St. Julian's Cherry. South
Europe. This bears large flowers of a most beautiful and delicate blush
tint. P. Avium multiplex is a double form of the Wild Cherry, or Gean,
with smaller leaves than the type.

P. BOISSIERII (_syn Amygdalus Boissierii_).--Asia Minor, 1879. This is a
bushy shrub, with almost erect, long, and slender branches, and
furnished with leaves an inch long, elliptic, and thick of texture.
Flowers pale flesh-coloured, and produced abundantly. It is a very
ornamental and distinct plant, and is sure, when better known, to
attract a considerable amount of attention.