SANTA ROSA 259 



There was no difficulty about securing the 

 aknonds for planting, so the enterprise was 

 almost instantly under way. In addition to the 

 two acres of land which were then available in my 

 nursery, I rented five additional acres; and a 

 large number of men were engaged to plant the 

 almonds in nursery rows as soon as tliey began 

 to sprout. 



The almonds were spread on a well-drained 

 bed of creek sand and covered with coarse burlap 

 cloth, which in turn was covered with a layer of 

 sand about an inch in depth. In this way we 

 could examine the almonds without any trouble, 

 by lifting one end of the cloth. 



The seeds commenced to sprout in less 

 than fourteen days. Those which sprouted 

 were carefully removed and planted in the 

 nursery rows; the others were covered again, 

 and each day more and more would be found 

 sprouting. 



The almonds were planted about four inches 

 apart in the rows, the rows about four feet apart, 

 on a piece of land adjoining the creek — a plot 

 now covered with fine residences, and known as 

 "Ludwig's Addition." 



They began showing growth above ground 

 in a short time, and the ground was very care- 

 fully cultivated. 



