

ALMOND VARIETIES IN THE UNITED STATES 49 
but sometimes a tendency to be straight at middle of wing. Wing medium in 
thickness and very prominent the entire length of ventral edge, being least prom- 
inent at apex. Dorsal edge gently curved, base elevated higher than base of 
ventral edge. Suture line or fiber along dorsal edge distinct. Dorsal ridge 
slightly prominent. Base slopes ventrally (when viewed edgewise slightly 
constricted near stem scar) ; stem scar small, depressed, dorsal shoulder much 
elevated above ventral. Apex bluntly pointed; wing ends in short thick tip. 
Dorsal edge curved in slightly at immediate apex. 
Shell: Hard; dark brown in color; pits medium in number, large, irregular 
in shape, some connected with canals on surface. Pits numerous and shallow 
on dorsal edge. Short fine grooves at base. Very short wide grooves running 
off at obtuse angles on ventral edge both sides of wing. Part of shell between 
pits hard, but stippled. Outer shell quite thick and hard. Canals rather large, 
oval in shape, flat. Network coarse, fibers large. Inner shell rather thick and 
hard, dark brown in color. Ventral streak very dark brown, very wide, medium 
in length with apex bluntly acute and base broad and round. Very dark 
brown in color. 
Kernel: Plump; many doubles; 30 to 35 per cent of nut is kernel. Size 
average, medium (7 by 3 by vs inch). Shape, obovate. Ventral edge very thick 
and plump, gently curving. Dorsal edge rather straight, of medium thickness, 
curving suddenly at base and apex. Dorsal shoulder thin, square, and much 
elevated above ventral. Ventral shoulder plump, round and sloping. Apex, 
acute to blunt and usually thin. Pellicle, very dark brown in color, tough; 
pubescence very thick and heavy; base scar very large and irregularly round 
in shape; pellicle fold small and one-half length of ventral edge. Flavor dry, 
but very sweet. 
Distinguishing characteristics —Grown only in the Esparto district. Nut 
plump, ovate; ventral edge much curved, wing prominent, least prominent at 
apex ; base scar slightly ventrally sloping; shell hard; kernel heavily pubescent. 
COMMENTS 
The hard shell, tough, dark, very heavily pubescent, and generally unattrac- 
tive pellicle, presence of doubles, and the fact that the almonds are not well 
distributed on the tree are disadvantages. The variety is not to be recom- 
mended for future planting. 
22. EUREKA (CRESCENT, LITTLE JORDAN) 
Origin.—From trees resulting from the planting of a sack of almonds in 1885 
A. M. Newland, of Colusa, Calif., selected 69 trees which appeared promising. 
One of the best of these he named the “ Eureka.” In 1886 he planted a number 
of the Eureka trees. Nursery firms soon became interested, and the variety was 
planted on a small scale in different sections of California. The Eureka, how- 
ever, was never widely advertised, and inferior seedlings, later called Eureka 
by others, became more widely scattered than the true Eureka. ‘* Crescent ”’ 
and “Little Jordan” are other names by which the variety is known. The 
Eureka is now commercially grown mostly in the Colusa, Davis, and Winters 
districts. 
Description 
TREE 
A hardy but somewhat slow grower. Very upright (ratio of width to height 
of head, 1:14). Very compact, very bushy. Trunk slender, slow grower; bark 
somewhat rough, exfoliating in small flakes. 
Main branches.—Rather long, stocky, frequently with long, flat depressions. 
Branching angle acute except on lower branches. Wood very hard. Bark very 
' tough, yellowish brown with gray epidermis; exfoliates in small flakes; stria- 
tions common on young branches. 
Twigs.—Medium in length, medium slender, rigid. Very many lateral 
branches. Branching angle acute. Wood tough. Nodes rather small. Inter- 
nodes short to medium (2 to 1 inch). Bark light green, upper surface turning 
to reddish brown or rusty red later in the season. Striations show early. 
Lenticels—Medium in number, large (1s by } to ss by % inch), slightly raised, 
grayish brown, wide, oval, with blunt ends. Lenticels on young bark very 
numerous, grayish, rather large, conspicuous. 
99729°—24—__4 

