80 BULLETIN 1282, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
COMMENTS 
At one time the Rock Jordan was very widely planted in California, but 
commercial orchards of the variety have now practically disappeared. The 
tree bears irregularly and sparingly. The nuts are very hard shelled, only a 
small percentage being kernel. It is impossible to crack the nuts with machin- 
ery at present without breaking the kernels, because the kernel completely fills 
the entire shell cavity. The variety can not be produced profitably on a 
commercial scale in this country, owing to its light-bearing habit and the very 
large amount of shell in proportion to the kernel. The kernel is very popular 
with the confectionery trade, and large quantities are imported from foreign 
countries (chiefly from Spain) where cheap. labor makes it possible to hand 
erack them. ; 
OTHER JORDAN TYPES 
Besides the Malaguena and Rock types of Jordan almonds, other types of 
hard-shelled Jordans are imported. Two common types possessing large, at- 
tractive kernels of good flavor are illustrated in Plate VIII, C and D. 
41. KING (KING’S SOFT SHELL) 
Origin —At San Jose, Calif. Date of origin in question. Nuts of the 
variety appeared in the market as early as 1893. Nursery companies in 
California advertised trees of the variety for sale in 1892. The King variety 
attracted considerable attention for a time, owing to the large proportion of 
kernel to shell. Young trees bear rather regularly, but the older trees seldom 
produce a heavy or even a medium-sized crop. It has gradually passed out of 
favor with growers, but is still grown to limited extent in all the older 
almond districts of the State. The variety is often confused with California 
and Princess, in some sections with Klondike and Silversheil, and even with 
Nonpareil. 
Description 
TREE 
Large, upright, with somewhat spreading top, round topped, very vigorous 
grower. Trunk exceedingly stocky, straight. Bark on old trees has deep 
cracks, close together, exfoliates in small flakes. 
Main branches.—Long, slender, vigorous, quite upright. Branching angle 
acute. Wood rather soft. Bark tends to be rough and cracked, especially on 
old wood; under bark reddish brown, covered with patches of gray epidermis 
on younger branches. On old branches outer layers of bark frequently gray. 
Twigs.—Slender, somewhat willowy. Nodes rather small. Internodes quite 
short, varying in length from } to 1 inch. Branching angle moderately acute. 
Bark rather thin and tough, green. 
Lenticels.—Size variable (on bark 8 to.10 years old, 7s by # to 4 by 3 inch) ; 
vary in number from few to many, usually about medium in number, numerous 
on young growth; raised; gray; wide oval, with blunt apexes. On twigs len- 
ticels are numerous, round, grayish green. 
Foliage-—Medium dense. Leaves medium in number, small, tend to curve 
and twist slightly. 
Blade: Small, wide, short; distinctive of the variety. Size varies (average, 
1 by 24 inches; ratio of width to length, 2.5). Shape variable, ovate, obovate, 
or elliptical. Base usually obtuse; origin of margins symmetrical or slightly 
unsymmetrical. Apex acute to bluntly round. Margins crenate or doubly 
crenate, crenations very short and usually deep, bristles small and dark. 
Midrib rather heavy, moderately prominent. Veins distinct. Upper surface of 
blade medium deep green. Lower surface dull green, a little lighter than the 
upper but darker than in many other varieties. 
Petiole: Very stocky, short (average § inch), medium for size of blade, 
rigid (ratio of length of petiole to length of blade, about 1:4). Lower sur- 
face pale green; upper green. Groove wide, deep. Glands two to four, com- 
monly two, small, globular, greenish yellow. 
Bearing habit.—On spurs 1 to 4 years old. Many spurs on last year’s lat- 
erals. A considerable number of spurs are borne on laterals springing from 
wood 4 to 7 years old. Spurs short (4 to +s inch), rather thick (4 inch) ; 
widens near twig; expands suddenly to broad elliptical disk (3% by 4 mech). 
