ALMOND VARIETIES IN THE UNITED STATES 63 
Distinguishing characteristics —On account of slight variations, this widely 
grown variety is difficult to distinguish from many others. It is classified ac- 
cording to shape with the Brown, Cartagena, Concord, Fairoaks, Rice, Routier, 
and several unnamed California seedlings. (For points of difference between 
it and Brown, Cartagena, Concord, and Fairoaks, see description of distin- 
guishing characteristics of those varieties. ) 
The shell of the Golden State is harder than in the Rice, is darker in color, 
and the apex is much more blunt. 
The Golden State nut closely resembles the Routier. In the Golden State 
the apex of the nut is more tapering, the shell has many more pits, the kernel 
is more plump, especially at the base, is much shorter, usually smaller, with a 
much more cuneiform apex, and somewhat more pubescence on the pellicle. 
COMMENTS 
Although this nut is still widely grown, it is gradually disappearing. Its 
rather erratic bearing habit, the tendency of the nuts to be small, the dark- 
colored shell, the considerable percentage of double Kernels, the many stick- 
tights in some seasons, and the tendency in other seasons to drop many of the 
nuts from the tree while dehiscing before all the nuts are ready to harvest are 
points which have brought it into disfavor. It should be replaced by better 
varieties. 
31. GORDON 
Origin. Originated in the Gordon Valley, Solano County, Calif. At the 
present time there are no large orchards of the variety. 
Description 
TREE 
Spreading (ratio of height of head to width, 1:14). Medium in size. 
Trunk varies in stockiness; inclined to be stocky and rather long; tends to 
branch profusely; bark rough but variable in this regard, exfoliates in large 
plates. - 
Main branches——Rather long and stocky, tend to originate in whorls and 
to grow horizontally. Branching angle wide. Wood soft and brittle. Bark 
usually smooth, but varies much, grayish, and on young branches often silvery. 
Twigs—Medium in length, rigid. Branching angle wide. Tend to grow 
straight. Nodes quite large. Internodes short (1 inch or less). Bark smooth, 
green, tinged with rusty red in autumn, often with bloom. 
Lenticels—Very numerous. Variable in size (on bark 8 to 10 years old, 
ve by 4 to $ by # inch). Shape wide elliptical, ends bluntiy acute, sometimes 
sharply acute, crack through middle, raised, gray. On twigs lenticels are 
small, numerous, greenish gray. 
Foliage—Dense. Leaves numerous on individual branches, thick, coriace- 
ous, and tend to remain flat. 
Blade: Average small (about ? by 2% inches; ratio of width to length, 2:7). 
Shape variable; ovate or elliptical. Base blunt; origin of margins usually 
unsymmetrical, but sometimes symmetrical. Apex acute or bluntly acute. 
Margin coarsely and irregularly crenate with tendency to be serrate at base; 
bristles short and wide. Midrib large and often slightly depressed on upper 
surface. Veins large, slightly raised on under surface. Upper surface rich 
glossy green. Lower surface very dull green, lighter than upper. 
Petiole: Stocky, medium to rather long ($ to 1 inch; ratio of length of petiole 
to length of blade, average 2:7). Very pale green. Groove very deep and nar- 
row. Glands 2 to 12; pairs often opposite or nearly so, grayish green, dusty 
red in autumn; basal pair frequently slightly stipulate. 
Bearing habit.—On spurs, mostly on wood 2 and 8 years old. Often a few 
on older wood. Nuts often in pairs. «Spurs medium in length, exceedingly 
Stocky; expand gradually to large, wide oval disk. Buds short, plump, con- 
stricted at base, free, apex often blunt; scales tough, hard, deep brown, 
pubescent on edges. 
NUT 
Immature nut—Medium in size. Shape oblong oval. Ventral edge gently 
curved ; never with ridge. Dorsal edge quite straight at base, curving suddenly 
at apex. Base truncate. Apex truncate; style long, adhering late in season. 

