41 



THE ALMOND 

 By E. H. TAYLOR, Instructor in Pomology 



The almond can be grown only in limited areas, owing to its susceptibility 

 to frost. This is not due, as often supposed, to any greater tenderness of the 

 blossoms or young fruit, but to the fact that this tree is the earliest of all our 

 tree fruits to bloom in the spring, thus rendering it liable to more severe frosts 

 than fruits which bloom later. 



The localities where the almond succeeds best are where there are no late 

 spring frosts. Low lands should be avoided because of the settling of cold air 

 in these spots, causing later and more severe frosts than in adjacent higher 

 land. Rolling hills just back from the lower levels of our large interior valleys 

 and the alluvial fans projecting out from the hills, furnish the larger portions 

 of our safe almond localities. Where large streams have built up the general 

 level along their banks far out into the main valleys, freedom from frosts is 

 again marked. 



The soil best suited to the almond is a deep loam which is free from hard- 

 pan, or gravelly substrata, and at all times well drained. The almond will not 

 endure standing water around its roots for any length of time and especially 

 during its long growing season. The lighter soils, therefore, are the ones which 

 should be sought. Too light a soil is equally undesirable, in being unable to 

 retain a sufficiently uniform moisture content. 



Large quantities of almonds are at present grown along the banks of Putah 

 Creek between Davis and Winters, along Cache Creek near Esparto, and on 

 higher up the creek throughout the length of Capay Valley, along the rolling 

 hills around Arbuckle, on the higher lands around Chico and Gridley, on the 

 higher lands near the foot of the Marysville Buttes, in Contra Costa County 

 (notably at Oakley), near Oakdale, near Acampo and Lodi, and in Southern 

 California, notably at Banning, in Riverside County. 



In the most favorable soils the almond is grown on almond root. Where 

 the soil is inclined to be more gravelly and too well drained, and irrigation 

 water is available, the peach root is used, while in heavy soils the Myrobalan 

 root is used. Plantings on heavy soils do not ordinarily do well and should be 

 very sparingly practiced, and then only when one understands just what he is 

 doing. 



After planting, the tree is generally headed to eighteen inches from the 

 ground and a head formed. In subsequent years the trees are headed back from 

 two to four years, and after that pruning is limited to thinning out too thick 

 and interfering branches and dead wood. Keep the center of the tree rather 

 open to encourage fruiting well down to the center of tree. 



The trees should come into profitable bearing about the sixth year. 



Harvesting, which commences a little before the middle of August, and 

 continues in the various varieties until the middle of September, is done by 

 knocking with long poles on to sheets spread under the trees. From here the 

 nuts go to the huller, where they are separated from the hulls, then dried, 

 bleached and sacked for shipment. 



Late ripening varieties will not do in regions subject to early rains or where 

 fogs are prevalent, as the shells are darkened too much. 



The most important pest of the almond is the Red Spider. 



