PROCEEDINGS OF TWENTY-SIXTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 137 



As a conclusion to the above remarks, the best rule that can be given 

 is this: Watch your trees carefully, give them plenty of care, and keep 

 them clean, healthy, and vigorous. The golden harvest will soon follow, 

 and with it success and profit. 



THE ALMOND IN CALIFORNIA. 



By ALDEN ANDERSON, of Suisun. 



From the standpoint of the botanist, the almond has been classified 

 as a fruit, and the tree a native of southern Asia. Its propagation has 

 been extended, however, and it is now extensively raised in all countries 

 near or bordering on the Mediterranean Sea in Europe. After crossing 

 the Atlantic a broad leap is made, and the only place in North America 

 where it is raised in commercial quantities, outside of a few in Arizona, 

 is California. It will, therefore, be seen that it favors a temperate 

 climate and immunity from killing frosts. 



The first plantings of almonds in this State were generally for orna- 

 mental purposes, or, perhaps, a few trees for variety in the family 

 orchard. One of the first in California to recognize its commercial 

 value was Mr. A. T. Hatch, then of Suisun, who became interested from 

 observing the fruit of a few trees in his own and his neighbors' door- 

 yards. 



This first planting consisted of two hundred trees of an imported 

 variety, the Languedoc, as were the first plantings generally, on his 

 home place in Suisun Valley in 1872; and as indicative of the probable 

 life of an almond tree in California, it is interesting to state here that 

 the most of these trees are yet living and bearing as well now as at any 

 time since attaining bearing age. 



Not satisfied with the quality of the output of this orchard, Mr. 

 Hatch went to experimenting, and several years after, it is of record 

 that he had on exhibition at one time one hundred and ninety-three 

 different varieties of almonds. From all these he gradually eliminated 

 the poorer ones, until he had left six or seven varieties, which were 

 eventually reduced to three varieties, consisting of the Nonpareil, I X L, 

 and Ne Plus Ultra. These he himself proceeded to extensively plant in 

 various parts of the State, and as the subject attracted more and more 

 attention, and he became recognized as an authoritj^, it was but natural 

 that his varieties were mostly planted. 



To the above enumerated was soon added another variety for general 

 planting that has made its way by sheer force of merit. This is the 

 Drake Seedling, first raised by Mr. H. C. Drake in Suisun Valley, and 

 from a tree that was a sport from the roots of a nectarine tree. 



Although it would now be possible to get together at least fifty 



