



ALMOND VARIETIES IN THE UNITED STATES 61 
brown, thick, hard, with sharply undulating inner surface; much darker than 
color of outer surface of shell. Ventral streak usually long, very dark brown 
in color, exceedingly wide, apex bluntly tapering, base bluntly pointed, but 
tapering. 
Kernel: Size medium ({ by 4 by ve inch). Very many doubles (90 per 
eent of kernels are doubles or deformed kernels). Shape plump, short, wide 
at base end tapering abruptly to apex; gently curving sides, often irregular 
in shape; heavily wrinkled upon drying. Base round or pointed, varying much. 
Apex blunt. Pellicle tough, covered with heavy, short pubescence. Flavor 
excellent. 
Distinguishing characteristics—Plump, globular, ovate shape; very wide in 
proportion to length; very large proportion of double kernels; sharply dorsally 
sloping base; inner surface of shell darker than outer; very wide ventral 
streak, with bluntly pointed, tapering base. 
COMMENTS 
The flavor of the Golden Nugget is excellent. The nut is of no value com- 
mercially, however, on account of its hard shell and many double kernels. 
30. GOLDEN STATE 
Origin.—In 1877, Webster Treat, of Davis, Calif.. accidentally left one of 
a number of small seedling trees in his Languedoc orchard: When the tree 
was 3 years old it bore a heavy crop, and when 8 to 10 years of age it averaged 
45 pounds of nuts yearly. At that time Mr. Treat was very enthusiastic over 
the qualities of the nut and bearing habits of the tree. The- tree was named 
the Golden State and the variety extensively propagated. It has been said 
that at one time Mr. Treat budded 60,000 nursery trees to the variety in a 
single season. It was for sale by nursery firms in Californ’a as early as 1890, 
and five years later practically every nursery in California propagated the 
variety. It was propagated in Australia as early as 1902 and sold in that 
country by at least seven nursery firms in 1905. The Golden State almond 
was planted widely in California, and although many of the original plantings 
of the variety have disappeared, it is still common in every section of the 
State and enters into the market in large quantities. 
Description 
TREE 
Moderately spreading (ratio of height of head.to. width, 1:14). Vigorous. 
Trunk stocky; bark rough with cracks quite far apart and deep; exfoliates 
in thick flakes. 
Main branches.—Long, slender, tend to curve. Branching angle widely acute. 
Wood rather tough with many knots. Bark smooth on young branches, rather 
rough on old branches; dark maroon brown, with gray epidermis; heavy 
striations common; exfoliates in rather large, thick flakes. 
Twigs.—Usually rather short and slender; flexible; produced in profusion. 
Branching angle wide. Nodes large. Internodes medium in length (average, 
4 to 1 inch). Wood rather tough. Bark medium tough, light green, with con- 
siderable waxy bloom, tinged with red in autumn. 
Lenticels—Numerous, ‘vary in size, average large (on bark 8 to 10 years 
old, 3s by is to ss by & inch); raised, ash gray, elliptical with acute to short 
acuminate apexes. On young branches lenticels distinctly elliptical with acute 
apexes and gently curving sides. 
Foliage.—Rather dense. Leaves somewhat variable in size, tend to curl 
and twist. 
Blade: Somewhat variable in size, shape, and width ($¢ by 24 to 13 by 4 
inches; average, 1% by 38 inches; ratio cf width .to0 length, about 2:7). 
Shape ovate or elliptical-ovate. Base generally obtuse, round; origin of sides 
symmetrical or nearly so. Apex generaliy acute, tapering. Margins crenate, 
crenations short and deep. Midrib medium in size, prominent. Upper surface 
of blade light green, frequently with a yellowish tinge; lower surface dull light 
green. \ 
Petiole: Varies in diameter and length (average rather short, } inch; ratio 
of length of petiole to length of blade, about 2:9).. Pale green. on lower 



