82 BULLETIN 1282, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
It is very difficult to distinguish between the King and Princess nuts. The 
Princess has many imperfect kernels, while the King seldom has imperfect or 
deformed ones. In the Princess kernels the dorsal edge at the apex is fre- 
quently curved more than the ventral, while in the King the edges curve 
about the same at. the apex. The ventral streak in the King is usually a littie 
wider than in the Princess. 
The King is easily distinguished from the Silvershell by the fact that the 
shell of the latter is much harder, with the pits distinct. In the King the. 
pits are usually invisible, the outer portion of the paper shell being flaky. 
Occasionally the King and Nonpareil are confused. The base of the nut 
slopes dorsally in the King and slopes ventrally or is at right angles to the 
axis in Nonpareil. The base of the Nonpareil is more tapering, and the 
ventral edge is more curved than in the King. The ventral streak is very 
wide in the King and quite narrow with base acuminate in Nonpareil. The 
kernel of the Nonpareil is more oblong and has much less pubescence than 
in the King. 
COMMENTS 
In appearance the kernel of the King is plump and attractive; the flavor 
is inferior to the Klondike or to the Nonpareil. Although it blossoms about 
the same time as the Nonpareil and Ne Plus Ultra and is interfertile with them, 
it has not aS a rule been interplanted with those varieties for pollination 
purposes, since its light bearing habit has precluded extensive plantings. The 
variety will probably soon be entirely eliminated from commercial orchards. 
42. KLONDIKE 
Origin. —John Butler, of Knightsen, Calif., planted a quantity of almond 
seeds, one of which produced a tree bearing almonds having kernels of very 
fine flavor and appearance. From this seedling George W. Knight in 1894 
began to propagate trees in his nursery at Knightsen. Some of these were 
planted on the O’Hara ranch, near Oakley, Calif. Later the variety was 
distributed quite extensively over the Oakley district. The name “ Klondike” 
aS a variety name was suggested to Mr. Knight at an exposition where he 
was exhibiting some of the nuts. Although not widely advertised, the 
Klondike almond has been planted to some extent in the Davis, Winters, 
Durham, Chico, Live Oak, Lodi, Manteca, Oakdale, and other districts. At 
the present time some growers having this variety in their orchards erroneously 
suppose it to be the I. X. L. or a “type” of the I. X. L., and it appears that 
in some instances budwood of the Klondike has been distributed as I. X. L. 
The nut is occasionally confused with Nonpareil and often with California, 
King, Princess, and Silvershell. The kernel is frequently mistaken for 
| bau. es Be 
Description 
TREE 
Very upright (ratio of width of head to height, 1:14) ; moderately vigorous 
grower with many branches. Trunk medium stocky, tends to be slightly 
twisted; bark rough, cracks deep and close together, exfoliates in large thick 
flakes. 
‘Main branches.—Quite long, moderately slender, upright. Branching angle 
sharply acute; branches frequently slightly twisted, and tend to have long, 
slightly flattened areas, i. e., branches not always round in cross section. Bark 
dark brown; rather rough on old branches; exfoliates in large flakes. On 
young branches gray striations or gray epidermis are common. 
Twigs.—Medium in length, tend to grow straight, slender; flexible. Branch- 
ing angle acute. Wood tough. Nodes quite large. Internodes rather long (4 
to 13 inches). Bark rather tough, green, turning darker in autumn, with 
brown areas on upper surface of twigs. 
Lenticels—Vary from medium to numerous in number. Large (on bark 8 
to 10 years old, 7s by 4 to ss by §& inches), raised slightly; gray; rather nar- 
row and long, generally with acuminate apexes; frequently brownish; crack 
longitudinally. On young wood, lenticels wide-elliptical; acute apexes. 
Foliage.—About average in density. Many leaves borne in clusters on spurs; 

variable in size, many small ones; average about medium; tend to recurve much 
and to twist somewhat, also to roll up along midrib. Leaves tend to drop 
early, especially in dry seasons, i. e., before Ne Plus Ultra sheds its leaves. 
