SOME LEADING NUT TREES. 295 



282. The Almond. This near relative of the peach has 

 handsome peach-like blossoms, and the nut is botanically 

 the pit of the fruit. But the thin, hard, fleshy part is not 

 edible and splits open at maturity, releasing the nut or pit. 

 De Candolle says: " There are many localities in the region 

 extending from Mesopotamia and Turkestan to Algeria 

 where excellent botanists have found the almond wild." 

 lie also says : " I remark finally that the difference between 

 the bitter and sweet almonds was known to the Greeks and 

 even to the Hebrews/' 



Whatever might have been its origin it was early dis- 

 tributed over the warm temperate parts of Europe and 

 Asia. As introduced into California the varieties came 

 largely from Spain and south France, but the imported 

 varieties have now been mainly discarded in favor of 

 locally grown seedlings. Professor Wickson says truth- 

 fully: "Thus far the almond has yielded more firewood 

 than any other single fruit tree which has been largely 

 planted in California." But he continues: "In spite of 

 these facts the almond will remain an important California 

 product through the satisfactory performance of trees 

 enjoying favorable environment." 



The trees are about as hardy as the peach, but they 

 blossom early and the crop is liable to be cut off by frosts. 

 Hence the trees in frosty localities have been taken out 

 and the industry is now mainly confined to the nearly 

 frostless localities. The varieties differ materially in season 

 of flowering, and at this time the latest ones to bloom are 

 being planted. But all bloom too early, and recent atten- 

 tion has been given to the varieties of Turkestan. As to 

 the quality of the Turkestan varieties, the writer tested 

 them at the Oriental fairs. They were smooth, sym- 

 metrical, plump, with thin shell, and gray in color with- 

 out the use of sulphur we were told. They came from the 



