8 BULLETIN 1282, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
ing data regarding varieties had been available for the grower. 
Although short descriptions of a few varieties have appeared in 
nursery catalogues, newspapers, agricultural journals, and other pub- 
lications since 1845, there has been no attempt to supply complete 
data by which they could be identified or to give such information 
regarding them as would enable the grower to compare the relative 
merits and faults of varieties and make a rational choice. The in- | 
vestigations of which this bulletin is the result were undertaken with 
the hope of supplying this information while at the same time laying 
a foundation for the breeding of better almond varieties. An at- 
tempt has been made to analyze the merits of all the known vari- 
eties to the fullest extent possible, in order to provide future planters 
with maximum information relative to varieties and also to place 
the facts before growers having trees of varieties which should be 
top-worked. 
METHOD OF INVESTIGATIONS 
In preparing the material for this bulletin, the following steps 
have been taken: 
(1) A thorough study has been made of all available literature on the sub- 
ject, from foreign as well as domestic sources. 
(2) Investigations have been made at ports of entry of varieties and 
almond products imported. Methods of handling, buying, wholesaling, and re- 
tailing almonds in the main markets of the United States have been carefully 
studied, both in regard to home-grown varieties and to imported almonds. 
(3) Detailed studies have been made of varieties grown in California, in- 
volving studies of the characters of the tree, its branches, foliage, flowers, 
blooming and ripening Season, as well as detailed studies of the nuts them- 
selves. 
(4) In connection with (3), studies have been made as to bearing habits and 
of the adaptability of the various varieties to different districts. Incidentally, 
studies have been made of methods of culture with allowances for thorough- 
ness or neglect in this respect. 
In the descriptions more detail has been found necessary than is 
the case with other fruits. For identification purposes, a study of 
the nut proved most useful, though if one will attempt to classify 
plums by the pits, for example, he will appreciate the difficulties 
involved in classifying almonds by the nuts alone. Therefore all 
parts of the tree have been studied, and-such detail has been given 
as seemed necessary in view of the large number of varieties and 
the close resemblance among them. In the descriptions only such 
characteristics are considered as remain reasonably constant under 
normal conditions. Under abnormal conditions, as in time of severe 
drought or excessive irrigation, allowance must be made for varia- 
tions in some characteristics, such as size of leaves, twig growth, 
and size of nut. 
In addition to the description, the following information is given 
regarding the varieties: 
(a) Synonyms for the name of the variety, if any. 
(b) Brief account of the origin of the variety, such as might be useful for 
identification purposes. 
(c) Facts in regard to yield, bearing habits, and ripening dates. 
(d) Variations in the variety in different districts where such oecur and 
suitability of the variety for various localities. 
(e) A summary of the good qualities and limitations of each variety, with 
recommendations regarding it, 
