THE ALMOND 331 



My own experiments, however, although they 

 have been repeated occasionally and have never 

 been quite lost sight of during the thirty-five 

 years that have intervened since the first tests 

 were made, have produced only the anomalous 

 results just related. Yet even these, in addition 

 to their scientific interest, may be thought to 

 point the way to more practical developments. 



At least they prove that there is no barrier 

 between plums and almonds that may not be 

 partially broken down. 



THE ALMOND CROSSED WITH PEACH AND 

 NECTARINE 



Since the almond can be crossed with the plum 

 it may reasonably be expected that mating would 

 be effected with its closer relatives, the nectarine 

 and peach, with even greater facility. 



In fact, it has been observed that the almond 

 crosses with the nectarine so readily that it is 

 practically impossible to prevent cross-fertili- 

 zation when the two trees grow in the same 

 neighborhood. The bees appear to visit them 

 indiscriminately, and to effect hybridization so 

 commonly that it is impossible to raise fruit from 

 the seed with any degree of certainty when there 

 has been an opportunity for cross- f ertilization ; 

 this, however, does not very commonly occur 



