


ALMOND VARIETIES IN THE UNITED STATES 45 
19. DRAKE 
Origin.—H. C. Drake, of Suisun, Calif., had a nectarine tree budded on 
almond stock. The top of the tree broke off, and a sprout grew up from the 
almond root which bore so well that it attracted attention. Trees were budded 
to the variety, and by 1880 the variety was being distributed. It was soon 
widely planted. It is now one of the most extensively grown varieties of 
almonds in California, being found in every almond-growing district, 
Description 
TREE 
Moderately vigorous. Very spreading (ratio of height of head to width, 
1:14), bushy, scraggly, with lower branches drooping. Trunk medium in stocki- 
ness; bark rough with longitudinal cracks close together, exfoliates in small 
flakes. 
Main branches.—Short, stocky, tend to grow horizontal, scraggly, very zig- 
zag. Branching angle wide (almost right angles). Wood hard, brittle. Bark 
rough except on young branches (rougher than in most varieties) ; exfoliates 
in small flakes; under bark deep cherry red, but this color is frequently ob- 
scured by thick, gray, exfoliating epidermis; young branches frequently gray. 
Twigs—Many young twigs. Tend to be vigorous, medium long, stocky. 
Wood rather brittle. Nodes large. Internodes rather short (2 to 1 inch). 
Bark green with considerable bloom, frequently tinged with red in the fall. 
The pith in this variety is frequently brownish. 
Lenticels—Variable. Usually numerous, large (size on bark 8 to 10 years 
old zs by # to $ by 3 inch), wide, short, rough, raised, gray. Elliptical on old 
bark, oval on young bark. Ends usually bluntly acute but often short acumi- 
nate. On bark 2 to 4 years old the lenticels are numerous, gray, generally con- 
spicuous, ends usually blunt and round. 
Foliage.—Dense. Leaves medium in size, but there are also many small 
young leaves present; tend to remain flat or to recurve slightly. 
Blade: Size small to large (2 ky 23 to 14 by 4 inches, average medium, § by 
3+ inches; ratio of width to length, about 2:7). Shape ovate or elliptical- 
ovate. Widest part usually near middle. Base usually obtuse, frequently 
rounding, origin of sides generally unsymmetrical on mature leaves, but some- 
times symmetrical. Tendency for apex half of leaf to taper, apex acute to 
acuminate. Margin deeply and shortly crenate. Midrib medium in size, me- 
dium prominent, pale, grayish green in color. Veins. distinct, prominent, ele- 
vated on lower surface. Blade thick. Upper surface rather light, deep green. 
Lower surface a very little lighter in color than upper, but darker than in 
most varieties. 
Petiole: Rather long (average, = inch; ratio of length of petiole to length of 
blade about 2:7); varies in stockiness, averages stocky, rather rigid. Lower 
surface pale light green, tinged with red in late summer. Groove varies in 
width and depth but averages deep and rather narrow. Glands two to six, 
generally three, commonly two or four, usually on petiole; vary in size from 
small to large, oval, yellowish, or brownish. 
Bearing habit—The variety is a heavy but somewhat of an alternate bearer. 
On spurs on wood 1 to 4 years old, also on laterals. Spurs having clusters of 
three or more nuts are common. Sometimes spurs of the preceding year pro- 
duce vegetative growth from bud. Spurs frequently live two years and some- 
times three. Some compound spurs, long (4 to 3 inches) and } to 2 inch in 
diameter. Many of the single spurs are short and thick, but vary much in this 
regard, average medium to long (4 to 4 inch) and medium in stockiness (¢ 
inch). Old spurs shrink much in diameter. Spurs expand gradually from 
middle to wide oval disk #; by + inch. Buds free, large, plump in middle, con- 
stricted at base, medium length, bluntly pointed; scales dark brown, medium 
in size, rather thick and hard, with much gray pubescence on edges. 
NUT 
Immature nut.—Size medium (average, 12 by 14 by 1 inches). Shape plump, 
irregular ovate; part on ventral side of axis ovate, part on dorsal side oblong. 
Ventral edge very much curved, bulging and curving most sharply at middle, 
curving slight from middle to apex. Dorsal shoulder rather straight from 
bulge on ventral edge to near base sear. Ridge lacking. Frequently side of 

