LUTHER BURBANK 



nized as an almond nut with characteristic shell 

 and seed. 



In a word, these are almonds grown inside the 

 peach, a combination of obvious interest. 



As yet this anomalous fruit has not attained 

 commercial importance, because the varieties thus 

 far produced are not peaches of the highest grade ; 

 neither do they bear almond nuts of the first 

 quality. 



It would be necessary to continue the experi- 

 ment through successive generations, crossing the 

 hybrids successively with peaches and almonds of 

 the finest quality, in order to produce a peach- 

 almond that could compete advantageously in the 

 market with the varieties of peaches and of al- 

 monds already under cultivation. It is probable 

 that ultimately this experiment will be carried out. 

 It lies within the reach of any amateur who lives 

 in a region where peaches and almonds will grow. 



As to the almond itself, there is opportunity 

 for improvement in the way of producing varie- 

 ties that will bear large crops with regularity. 

 The shell of the best cultivated varieties is per- 

 haps as soft as is desirable, as it is liable to injury 

 in shipping if it becomes too friable. But it might 

 be possible to develop a variety that would have 

 white shells, thus obviating the necessity for 

 bleaching with the fumes of sulphur, which con- 

 stitutes a somewhat expensive feature of the pres- 

 ent almond industry. 



Incidentally, it is worth while to note that the 

 almond industry has attained a good degree of 



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