


ALMOND VARIETIES IN THE UNITED STATES 89 
Lenticels—On old bark very wide and short; oval with increasing and 
evenly curved sides from middle to apexes. Ends pointed, acute; depressed: 
dark gray in color. Lenticels on wood 8 to 10 years old, very numerous, very 
wide, short, elliptical, with bluntly pointed ends (size § by } inch or slightly 
longer) ; brownish gray. On wood 2 to 4 years old, lenticels almost round, . 
very numerous, gray, or brownish gray, slightly raised. On twigs, lenticels 
very numerous, small, round, on level with the surface of the bark. (See Pl. 
OVAL: Be) 
Foliage—Moderately dense. Leaves quite numerous, large. 
Blade: Large (# by 8 to 14 by 44 inches; average 1 by 4 inches; ratio of 
width to length, about 1:4). Shape long ovate, widest part one-third to one-half 
of distance from base to apex. Base obtuse; origin of sides generally un- 
symmetrical. Apex tapering, pointed, sometimes edges straight or incurving 
very slightly at tip; immediate apex very sharp and pointed. Margins gently 
and evenly curved; crenations shallow; bristles dark, wide, short. Midrib 
prominent, very light green, almost white on under side. Main veins distinct. 
Lower surface of blade grayish green. Upper surface medium deep green. 
Petiole: Length medium for size of blade (1 to 14 inches; ratio of length’ 
of petiole to length of blade, about 1:4). Very light green, tinged with red at 
base in autumn. Groove wide, deep. Glands two to four, sometimes six, on 
petiole near base of blade, round or reniform, usually with flat tops, generally 
yellowish gray, later with dark spot in center. Occasionally Small stipulate 
glands appear. 
Bearing habit—A moderately good bearer and quite regular in bearing habits. 
Rears mostly on spurs on wood 2-and 3 years old. Spurs average medium in 
Ciameter (% inch) ; length medium to long (4 to 2 inch) ; disk about + inch in 
didmeter. Buds long, pointed, outer scales large. La Prima nuts are hard to 
hull if allowed to remain on the tree too long. 
NUT 
Immature nut.—Size quite large (2 by 14 by 1 inches). Shape rather flat, 
Jong oval or oval ovate, part on ventral side of axis oval or oval ovate; part 
or dorsal side long oval. Ventral edge much curved, smooth, or with slight 
suggestion of ridge; suture depression shallow (gy inch) and narrow (7 
inch). Dorsal edge gently curved, curves most near apex. Base flat, ventrally 
sloping, cavity 7s inch deep, vv inch across. Apex bluntly pointed, slightly 
depressed on ventral side of rudiment; style drops moderately early; rudiment 
short. 
Hull: Outer surface green, turning to yellow green, and finally to brown; 
pubescence abundant, coarse, short, felty, gray. Color of inner surface at first 
light green, changing rapidly to dark brown. Dehisces on ventral edge first; 
frequently edges are pink in early stage of dehiscence. Ventral edges bulge 
out in the middle and curve inward at apex and base. Dehiscence frequently 
takes place on dorsal edge as well as on ventral, and when such is the ease the 
halves of the hull do not become entirely separate but remain attached to each 
other at the base or at both base and apex. Ripens August 5 to 30. 
Hulled nut.—(Pl. IX, H.) Size variable, medium to large (average, 14 by 
by 4 inches), frequently larger than Ne Plus Ultra. Number of nuts to the 
pound, 200 to 250. Percentage of kernel to nut in hand-cracked samples, 52. 
Shape: Slightly variable; usually oval, rather flat (edgewise view, ovate). 
Ventral edge curved entire length, curved most at base and apex; wing thin 
to medium in thickness, prominent, except at immediate base, ends prominently 
at apex. Dorsal edge gently curving, curving sharply at apex; dorsal ridge 
narrow, frequently prominent; dorsal edge more plump than ventral. Base 
somewhat pointed and constricted, sloping ventrally, stem scar variable in 
Size, usually medium, round or oval, sloping ventrally. Apex bluntly pointed, 
ventral and dorsal edges curve quite Sharply at apex; apex resembles Ne Plus 
Ultra, but is more blunt. . 
Shell: Varies in color and texture on same tree; light grayish brown to 
medium dark brown. Averages in soft-shell class. Some nuts, however, are 
so hard as to be difficult to crack with the fingers. Outer shell quite thick, 
may be hard or soft, crumbly, and brittle. Pits numerous to medium in number, 
medium to large in size, variable in shape. Medium shallow to deep. Finely 
grooved at ventral edge and on base. Grooves on base half of edge nearly 
parallel with wing. Canals small to large. Fibers small to large; network 
rather coarse. Inner shell thin to medium; hard. Inner surface undulating, 

