588 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



as it is of cheap and easy transport — a cart in hilly places, of dear 

 freight, can carry 4,000 francs' worth, without shells ; (4) the rapidity 

 with which the fruit ripens ; (5) the early age at which it comes into 

 bearing — grafted trees produce almonds the second or third year. 



This good result is easily explained, as the flowers open in the winter 

 month of July under most favourable conditions, the roots finding 

 all the moisture they require in that month, which is always a wet 

 one in Chile. 



The very great sweetness which its flowers possess makes them 

 eagerly sought out by all kinds of insects, such as bees, thus insur- 

 ing the setting of the fruit. The almonds grow in October and 

 November under perfect conditions until they harden and ripen at 

 the end of December and January, before the dryness of the soil 

 has spoilt their quality ; therefore, without watering, we are sure 

 of a crop. It is true that the plant from January onwards shows 

 signs of flagging in its leaves, but in the first two years it is assisted 

 with hand-watering, and later on even such flagging does not hurt 

 the tree at all, as the roots reach a moister stratum of earth. The fall 

 of the leaf of the Almond planted on dry hillsides is a month or two 

 earlier than on irrigated land, but this does not in the least affect 

 the life of the plant, especially after it is three or four years old. A 

 method which gives good results is, after the first rains of autumn, 

 to sow almonds 16 to 20 feet apart, placing in each small hole five or 

 six almonds, taking care that they are sound. In this way they 

 soon start, and the roots grow rapidly. It is indispensable to give 

 two or three waterings during the summer, and, as the fruit of these 

 trees later on would be poor, it is as well to graft the second year 

 with cuttings of the variety desired. Almonds like a southern or 

 eastern aspect. 



We recommend the Apricot to be grafted under the same conditions 

 as the Almond. The object of cultivating in lands distant from any 

 town is not for fresh fruit, which is difficult of transport, but for pre- 

 serving them in the orchards themselves with utensils of very small 

 value. A copper, as a bain-marie, and a small fireplace that will 

 burn cheap wood fuel, and glass bottles or tins can be brought there, 

 and everything done on the spot at small cost. 



We do not hesitate to say that with the Olive hundreds of thousands 

 of acres of poor land in the central valley of Chile could be utilized. 

 The hardiness of this tree and its resistance to drought when well 

 established are incredible. Assisted, like the other trees, with hand- 

 watering during the first two years, deep roots are formed compara- 

 tively quickly. The introduction into the nurseries of Santa Ines 

 of varieties suitable for making oil makes it possible to plant trees 

 precocious in fruiting and producing crops which appear quite in- 

 credible. The specimen plants in the collection at Santa Ines produce 

 every autumn twelve, fourteen, and sixteen thousand olives on trees 

 which are not more than 10 to 12 feet in height. We therefore most 

 earnestly advise the planting of the hills and rolling lands of the coast 



