1. The fruit of the almond tree; an ovate, compressed nut, perforated in the pores. It is either sweet or bitter. [It is popularly pronounced ammond.]
2. The tonsils, two glands near the basis of the tongue, are called almonds, from their resemblance to that nut; vulgularly, but improperly, called the almonds of the ears, as they belong to the throat.
3. In Portugal, a measure by which wine is sold, twenty-six of which make a pipe.
ALMOND. This is the fruit of Amygdalus communis, a plant belonging to the natural order Rosaceae, sub-order Amygdaleae or Drupiferae. The tree appears to be a native of Asia, Barbary, and Marocco; but it has been extensively distributed over the warm temperate region of the Old World. It is a tree of moderate size; the leaves are oblong-lanceolate, and serrated at the edges; and the flowers, which appear early in spring, are of a pink colour. The fruit is a drupe, having a downy outer coat, called the epicarp, covering a tough portion called the mesocarp, which encloses the reticulated hard stony shell or endocarp. The seed is the kernel which is contained within these coverings. The shell-almonds of trade consist of the endocarps enclosing the seeds. The tree grows in Syria and...
Palestine; and is referred to in the Bible under the name of Shaked, meaning “hasten.” The word Luz, which occurs in Genesis xxx. 37, and which has been translated hazel, is supposed to be another name for the almond. In Palestine the tree flowers in January, and this hastening of the period of flowering seems to be alluded to in Jeremiah i. 11, 12, where the Lord asks the prophet, “What seest thou?” and he replies, “The rod of an almond-tree;” and the Lord says, “Thou hast well seen, for I will hasten my word to perform it.” In Ecclesiastes xii. 5 it is said the “almond-tree shall flourish.” This has often been supposed to refer to the resemblance of the hoary locks of age to the flowers of the almond; but this exposition is not borne out by the facts of the case, inasmuch as the flowers of the almond are not white but pink. The passage is more probably intended to allude to the hastening or rapid approach of old age. The application of Shaked or hasten to the almond is similar to the use of the name “May” for the hawthorn, which usually flowers in that month in Britain. The rod of Aaron, mentioned in Numbers xvii., was taken from an almond-tree; and the Jews still carry rods of almond-blossom to the synagogues on great festival days. The fruit of the almond supplied a model for certain kinds of ornamental carved work. (Exodus xxv. 33, 34; xxxvii. 19, 20). Dr Tristram remarks: “The blossom of the almond is a very pale pink, but where, as in the orchards near Nablous (Shechem), the peach and almond trees are intermingled, the almond looks white by comparison. In early spring it forms a beautiful feature in the landscape there, as the lower slopes of Gerizim, as well as the valley, are studded with almonds and peaches, in lively contrast with the deep green foliage of the orange-trees, and rivalling an apple orchard in splendour of colour. There are also many wild almond-trees on Mount Carmel. The tree seldom exceeds 12 to 16 feet in height.” There are two varieties of the plant, the one producing sweet, the other bitter almonds. The kernel of the former contains a fixed oil and emulsin; while that of the latter has in addition a nitrogenous substance called amygdalin, which, by combination with emulsin, produces a volatile oil and prussic acid. The flowers of the bitter almond-tree (Amygdalus communis, variety amara) are larger and whiter than those of the sweet almond-tree (Amygdalus communis, variety dulcis). The sweet almond is bland and inodorous. There are numerous commercial varieties, of which the most esteemed is the Jordan almond, imported from Malaga. Valentia almonds are also valued. Fresh sweet almonds are nutritive and demulcent, but as the outer brown skin or episperm sometimes causes irritation of the alimentary canal, they are blanched by removal of this skin when used at dessert. When bitter almonds are pounded in water a ratafia odour is produced, on account of the formation of prussic acid. The essential oil or essence of almonds, so much employed for flavouring dishes, requires to be used with caution, as it possesses marked poisonous qualities. In some cases the oil, even when taken in small quantities, produces nettle-rash. The import of sweet almonds into Britain in 1870 amounted to 36,189 cwt.; of bitter almonds, 7618 cwt.
9th ed. Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 1, p. 594 [715 words — estimated reading time: 5 minutes]
ALMOND-FURNACE , among refiners, is a furnace in which the slags of litharge, left in refining silver, are reduced to lead, by the help of charcoal; that is, according to modern chimistry, in which the oxyd of lead is deoxydized, and the metal revived.
The tree which produces the almond. The leaves and flowers resemble those of the peach, but the fruit is longer and more compressed, the green coat is thinner and drier when ripe, and the shell is not so rugged.
ALMONDBURY, an extensive parish and township of Yorkshire in England, lying to the S.E. of Huddersfield. As the manufactures of Huddersfield have increased, various outlying districts have been built on, so that the parish of Almondbury now includes a considerable part of that important and flourishing town. The parish contains 28,092 acres. The town lies on the river Calder, 2 miles S.E. of Huddersfield, and had formerly a cathedral and a strong castle. By some writers it is supposed to occupy the site of the Roman Campodunum mentioned by Antoninus; but whether or not, the place can boast a Roman origin—it was at least a town of importance in Saxon times, and a seat of the kings of Northumbria. It has a free grammar school founded by James I., a good church, and several other public buildings. The inhabitants of the town and parish are chiefly engaged in the manufacture of fine cloths, and woollen, cotton, and silk goods. In 1871 the population of the parish was 46,299; of the township, 11,669.
9th ed. Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 1, p. 595 [178 words — estimated reading time: 2 minutes]
And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.
Jacob, however, took fresh branches of poplar, almond, and plane trees, and peeled the bark, exposing the white inner wood of the branches.
And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:
Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and carry them down as a gift for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds.
Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick.
There are to be three cups shaped like almond blossoms on the first branch, each with buds and petals, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches that extend from the lampstand.
Three bowls made after the fashion of almonds in one branch, a knop and a flower; and three bowls made like almonds in another branch, a knop and a flower: so throughout the six branches going out of the candlestick.
There were three cups shaped like almond blossoms on the first branch, each with buds and petals, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches that extended from the lampstand.
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 bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.
The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron’s staff, representing the house of Levi, had sprouted, put forth buds, blossomed, and produced almonds.
Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:
when men fear the heights and dangers of the road, when the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper loses its spring, and the caper berry shrivels— for then man goes to his eternal home and mourners walk the streets.
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.
And the word of the LORD came to me, asking, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” “I see a branch of an almond tree,” I replied.
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