12 SPANISH ALMONDS. 



lot of shapes one sees even among the sugar-coated almonds of the 

 confectioner. Several distinct varieties of almonds are sold by the 

 exporters as Valencias. and a lot of seedling ungrafted trees doubtless 

 contribute their share to make up the bulk of this high but second 

 grade almond. 



' The two best of the Valencia type found in cultivation in more or 

 less large quantity were the Planeta (PI. I, fig. 1; PL IV, fig. 3; PI. V, 

 tigs. 1 and 2), which is the popular variety grown about Alicante, and 

 the Pastaneta (PI. IV, fig. 2), which, although superior in flavor and 

 form to the Planeta, is a shier bearer and has proven less profitable. 

 The Planeta is heart-shaped, is much thicker at the base than the apex 

 and with sides unusually straight, while the Pastaneta has a very plump, 

 striking form, truncated at both apex and base. Figures 2 and 3 in 

 Plate IV show these differences distinctly. The Castillet and Fabrica 

 are other sorts of the same general type found growing in a single gar- 

 den at Alicante, and they merit mention here only to point out the fact 

 that there are doubtless a large number of distinct varieties scattered 

 through the orchards of Spain. 



The Valencia nuts are grown about Alicante, and not, as the name 

 would indicate, about Valencia, which latter is distinctly the citrus 

 province of Spain. 



The Mollar is a name given to a variety of the soft-shelled almond 

 grown largely for home consumption. (PL VI, fig. 1.) It was found 

 growing about Alicante, but the writer suspects it is a name given to 

 any soft-shelled sort. Seedlings without any local names, even, were 

 shown, and some were of sufficient promise to indicate plainly that 

 much can be expected from the seed of these best sorts if judiciously 

 selected. With a view of furnishing almond breeders in America 

 with material for selection, a quantity of nuts was secured for distri- 

 bution. The bitter almond, used for stocks, is a little, round, sharp- 

 pointed, plump-formed nut, at once distinguishable from the grafted 

 sorts. (PL IV, fig. 5.) 



METHOD OF PLANTING AND CULTURE. 



Most of the almond trees of Spain are grafted, and the bitter 

 variety is usually employed as a stock. Few nurseries exist in the 

 region, and these pay little attention to the almond. Not a single 

 nursery of almond trees was seen, and the writer was informed that, 

 in most cases at least, the seeds of the bitter almond were planted in a 

 rough seed bed, the young trees transplanted to the places they were 

 to occupy in the orchard, and when two years old, or even more, were 

 budded. Budding is done in the spring. The trees are not com- 

 monly budded near the ground, but at a height of 2 to 4 feet above it 

 —a fact plainly evident on all the old trees, which show the point of 



