Page 6 



drainage of nnicli cokler air from con- 

 siclcrably higher eU'vations beyond, and 

 then tlie danger from frost is very 

 greatly increased. This is very com- 

 mon where canons act as drains to 

 conduct the cold air from the high Si- 

 eiras to the valleys below. 



Variable weather conditions, and 

 especially as regards temperature in the 

 spring after growth connnences, are 

 highly undesirable. Warm weather 

 immediately followed by cold tends to 

 produce sour-sap, fruit drop and kin- 

 dred physiological ills. Oftentimes 

 crops have been lost where no frosts 

 occurred after blooming commenced, 

 simi)ly due to sudden changes in the 

 weather. However, it is highly prob- 

 able that the greater portion of the 

 trouble with fruit dropping, when of 

 the size of peas or larger, is due to im- 

 proper pollination. When the soil is 

 not suflieiently well drained at such a 

 time, the sour-sap efTect is greatly aug- 

 mented. 



Humidity— Foggy or moist weather 

 during ripening or harvesting is higly 

 objeciionablc. The nuts do not dry out 

 rapidly enough on the trees to prevent 

 the growth of molds and consequent 

 darkening of the shells. The nuts then 

 require much heavier bleaching to 

 brighten them properly for the demands 

 of the market. The damp weather pre- 

 vents the rapid and thorough drying- 

 out of the kernel; the sulphur fumes are 

 absorbed by the moist kernel and it 

 sometimes becomes rancid before it is 

 six months old. 



Much damp weather in the spring 

 encourages the growth of "shothole" 

 fungus in the blossoms and fruit, often 

 causing the loss of a considerable por- 

 tion of the crop; the loss of leaf surface 

 from the fungus infection is sometimes 

 so great as to materially affect the vigor 

 and vitality of the tree. 



Rainfall — It is impossible to state any 

 definite amount of rainfall which will 

 or will not maintain the trees and en- 

 able them to bear regular crops of nuts, 

 for so much depends not only on the 

 variation in rainfall in different sec- 

 tions and in difTerent years, as regards 

 distribution throughout the year, but 

 also on the time and intensity of the 

 fall, the character of the weather fol- 

 lowing the rains and the ability of the 

 soil to receive and retain the rain that 

 falls. Ordinarily, however, with the 

 above factors favorable, it is concede<l 

 that where the winter rainfall averages 

 sixteen inches, almonds can generally 

 be grown without supf)lementing the 

 water supply by irrigation, if the or- 

 chardist exercises reasonable care to 

 conserve the moisture for the use of the 

 trees. Where the rainfall is inadequate 

 some means of irrigation must be found 

 to make up the deficit. 



In some sections the annual rainfall 

 varies greatly from year to year. Often 

 it falls in such a way that a large pro- 

 portion of it is lost in the surface run- 

 off. In many places the soil is so leachy 

 that it is incapable of holding sutricienl 

 water for the use of the trees through- 

 out the summer, much of the winter 

 rainfall being lost in the underground 

 drainage. Under either of these condi- 

 tions, 40 inches of rainfall might not 



BETTER FRUIT ^^■'^' '^'^ 



be sullicient. Very often winter rains of full crops of almonds. Many or- 



are foUowed by desiccating winds so chards have been very light producers 



that a considerable portion of the rain year after year because of a delieiency 



wiiich falls is lost bv evaporation be- of lumius in the soil, 



fore anvlhing can be done to hold it. Drainage— The almond root is very 



Continued rainy, damp and cold wca- particular as to its air and moisture 



ther at the time of blooming is apt to retiuiremenls in the soil. It will not 



sour the pollen or actually wash it endure standing water in the soil for 



away and thus prevent the fertilization any length of time, especially during 



of the blossoms, without which a crop the growing season. Exclusion of air 



is impossible. Bees and other insects by excessive moisture is believed to be 



are the i)rincipal means of accomplish- one of the most productive causes of 



ing the p(dlination of almonds and such "sour-sap." If allowed to continue for 



weather prevents them from working. any length of time such conditions will 



cause the death of many or even all 

 ^"" the roots and with them the top. 

 The almond is a deep-rootmg tree Water Table— A factor which is very 

 and draws heavily upon the plant-nour- commonly overlooked in connection 

 ishing elements of the soil. In ripening ^^,■^^l^ tl,^." natural drainage of almond 

 the large nundjer of seeds which it is lands is the position of the water table 

 required to do, the tree must draw upon gf different seasons of the year. Great 

 a considerable area of soil in order to ^^^.^ must be exercised in choosing a 

 supply the large amount of mineral mat- location to be sure that the water table 

 ter that is needed to develop and ma- ^gp^ ,^qj ,.isg during the sunuiier. This 

 ture the seeds. Analyses of almonds, as j^ g ^g^y serious problem in many irri- 

 compared with other commonly grown gated sections. Where the water table 

 fruits and nuts, made by Colby, show during the winter months is less than 

 that the almond leads in the total quan- j2 feet in depth it is highly desirable 

 tity of mineral matters withdrawn from j^ ^mve as little fluctuation as possible, 

 the soil. Colby further states that "The where tluctuations take place at a 

 stone fruits fall much below the al- gj-pater depth than 12 feet they are not 

 mond in total ash (mineral matter) ex- generally serious. The ideal condition 

 cepting the olive, the ash of which, j^ ^.^ere the water table is highest in 

 however, is largely silica (nearly eight- winter and quickly drops after the win- 

 tenths), an ingredient so plentifully jer rains are over, to a depth of from 

 distributed in all soils that it is of no jq to 12 or 1.5 feet, remaining at that 

 pecuniary value." The table given il- point during the remainder of the grow- 

 lustrates this statement. jpg season. 



These figures suggest the necessity xhe soil in addition to being well 



of having a deep, rich, well-drained drained, must be sulliciently retentive 



soil for best results. For this reason of moisture to supply the tree through- 



and because of the deep-rooting habit o„{ ^ long, dry growing season. If the 



of the almond, the soil should be al ^oil will not retain a sufficient amount 



least ten or twelve feet deep. of the winter and spring rains, recour.se 



Hardpan — Compacte<l substrata in the must be had to irrigation to supply the 



soil, whether they be hard clay layers deficiency. 



or cemented layers of silicious, ferru- Alkali— Alkali lands are unsuited to 



ginous or calcareous origin, are ob- almond culture and should be carefully 



jectionable. They not only prevent the avoided. 



roots from foraging to a considerable in sunuuarizing the soil requirements 

 depth as they normally tend to do, but for almond culture, it may be stated 

 they prevent proper drainage and aera- that the ideal almond soil is a medium 

 lion of the soil. If such layers are loam, uniform in texture, or nearly so, 

 comparatively thin, that is, not more to a depth of at least twelve feet, well 

 than two or three feet thick at the drained and yet retentive of moisture 

 most, they may be shattered with dyna- for the use of the tree during the sum- 

 mite so as to allow the moisture, air nier. Fortunately some of the best 

 and roots to penetrate to the better soil almond soils are situated along stream 

 below. Hardpan, therefore, should be banks where the land is relatively high, 

 avoided where it is too thick to be and is, therefore, less subject to frost, 

 broken up or where it is not underlaid These streams flowing from the moun- 

 by desirable soil. tains and foothills have built up their 

 Humus— .\ plentiful supply of humus own beds by the detritus brought from 

 in the soil is es.sential. It not only the hills. The coarser particles being 

 improves the physical condition of the deposited first and nearest the stream 

 soil, but assists drainage, moisture re- itself, make the better drained soils, 

 tention and in rendering the plant food while the finer particles and the clays, 

 available in sullicient quantities for the deposited further back from the bank 

 use of the trees and for the maturing continued on page 40. 



SOIL INGREDIl^TS EXTUAC ri- D BY THE ALMOND, AS COMPARED WITH OTHER ORCHARD 



SOIL liNunr-mY^i^^^ ^^ SHOWN DY ANALYSES OF 1,000 POUNDS EACH OE 

 THE CROPS IN A FRESH CONDITION. 



Phosphoric 

 Potash, Lime, Acid, Total Ash. Silrogen, 



Ills. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. 



Almond (huHed) 5.49 1.72 4.33 1.5.00 16.40 



Almond (not huUed) S.9-, 1.04 2.04 l/.-H 17.01 



Walnut (hulled) J.-^O 1-81 2.;8 -...0 10.20 



Walnut (not hulled) 8.18 1.5.5 1.4/ 12.98 o.n 



Chestnut (hulled) 3.72 ./I 1.89 8.20 8.00 



Chestnut (not hulled) 3-67 1.20 1.^8 9.o- b 4« 



Prunes (green) ^-W; -13 -53 4.0.' i.4« 



ouv^'f..'*"!" .:;::;:;::::;::::;:::::::::::: s-s^ 2:32 lis 91.03- 5.85 



• 80.7 pounds of which is silica. . 



