314 UNIVERSITY OP CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION. 



introduction of this variety or else the Mayette in France represents a 

 general type propagated largely by seedlings, like our Santa Barbara 

 Soft Shell, rather than a distinct variety propagated exclusively by bud- 

 ding or grafting. Most of the so-called Mayettes in California have a 

 general resemblance to one another and appear to be seedlings or deriva- 

 tives of the same general type. 



The variety is characterized by the shape of the nut. In the true 

 Mayette type the base of the nut is decidedly flat and square-cut, so that 

 the nut can easily be set upon the basal end without falling over. The 

 nut rounds broadly to a point at the other end, giving it a sort of flat- 

 iron shape. In good Mayettes the meat is plump and well developed, 

 averaging close to 50 per cent of the total weight, and very light colored 

 and attractive. In flavor there is considerable variation in various 

 Mayette types found in this State, but the best of these are excellent in 

 this respect. The shell is thin but strong and well sealed. The Mayette 

 is a tree of comparatively late coming-out in the spring, though usually 

 somewhat earlier than the Franquette. It is decidedly later than the 

 southern California seedling trees. In most cases the time of maturity 

 in the fall is fairly early as compared with late varieties, though some- 

 what later than ordinary California seedlings. Of the so-called Mayettes 

 to be found in California some have no resemblance whatever to this 

 variety and need not be considered. Among those which have the true 

 flatiron shape Mayette type of nut, with a flat base upon which the 

 nut can easily be set up, there is still considerable variation. Of the 

 older trees which are attributed to Felix Gillet, many are evidently 

 seedlings and thus vary to a greater or less extent. No especially desir- 

 able true Mayette type has thus far appeared among the older Gillet 

 trees. Probably the best Mayettes in the State are to be found on S. F. 

 Leib's place at San Jose, these being trees grown from a large lot of 

 scions which Judge Leib imported from France about five years ago. In 

 this importation an effort was made to obtain the best type of the true 

 French Mayette, but among the trees grown from these scions wide 

 variations have appeared. Some of these trees, however, represent, 

 as we have said, what appears to be the best Mayette type in the State. 

 These are large, smooth, light colored, attractive looking nuts of typical 

 shape. They are well filled with very light colored meat of excellent 

 flavor. The growth appears to be more vigorous than that of the Fran- 

 quette. It is not improbable that had a Mayette type as good as this 

 been introduced and planted on a large scale a number of years ago, it 

 might have proved as good or even better than the Franquette. Under 

 existing circumstances, however, it is not possible to judge the variety 

 critically as to production and other important considerations. Mr. 

 Ely Hutchinson, at Concord, has a number of trees of a Gillet Mayette 



