464 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



Do not imagine that because you have a pole you must necessarily 

 beat the tree to loosen the nuts. Put the pole between the branches 

 and vigorously work it back and forth, shaking the limbs and loosening 

 the nuts. Some seasons almonds are harder to knock than others, and 

 require harsher treatment, but remember that tree is your friend. Do 

 not permit it to be abused. The buds you knock off this year may be 

 the ones that next year would be fruitful. P^very limb you break off 

 means a wound to heal. Every unnecessary burden placed on the tree 

 draws from vitality that should be expended in the production of nuts. 



Hulling. 



Almonds should be hulled as soon after gathering as practical. 

 Spread the clean nuts in the sun to dry. Tip the trays slightly toward 

 the south that the nuts may dry quickly. The time allowed for drying- 

 depends upon the condition of the nuts at the time of gathering. No 

 almonds should be sulphured until sufficiently dry and brittle to break 

 without bending. A good and convenient size of tray is one 3 feet 

 wide by 8 feet long, having 2-inch sides. In the early part of the 

 season, while the nuts are quite green, they should be raked frequently 

 in the trays to insure drying quickly and evenly and to prevent mold. 



Sulphuring. 



When the nuts are thoroughly dry the outer shells should be slightly 

 moistened, that they may readily take sulphur and be bleached in the 

 shortest possible time. Great care must be taken in sulphuring lest the 

 kernel be affected. Should this take place the nut will soon become 

 rancid and ruined. Less bleaching is being done now than formerly. 

 Stack the trays of almonds on a car and run them into a sulphur house. 

 Twenty to thirty minutes is sufficient for paper shelled varieties. Soft 

 shelled woidd take a little longer. Hard shells are rarely bleached, and 

 never are when used for nursery purposes. After bleaching, the car 

 containing the almonds should be allowed to stand twenty-four hours 

 in the open to permit the almonds to become dry. Do not expose them 

 to the direct rays of the sun after bleaching, as it will darken them. 

 When thoroughly dry, sack and they are ready for market. 



Marketing". 



We have now reached a very critical stage of the almond business. 

 It is the goal we have long had in our mind's eye. After all the 

 months of anxiety, is our year's work to be a success ? Having the crop, 

 it all depends on the marketing. Almost anyone at all adapted to the 

 business can attain average success as a grower. To dispose of the 

 crop to the best advantage and at the same time to do something to 

 build up the industry and place it on a firmer commercial basis is a 

 task worthy of the best business ability. The latter requires a different 

 sort of ability, a special training and time to devote to the work which 

 the average grower has not at his command. A grower, in the disposal 

 of his product, comes in competition with, or deals with, expert sales- 

 men. The grower is at a disadvantage. He has not the data upon 

 which to base conclusions and establish values. He is not familiar with 

 the tricks of the trade. He may occasionally make a creditably fair 

 sale, but in the long run the experience of the specially trained man 



