
102 BULLETIN 1282, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
OTHER TYPES OF NONPAREIL 
A few types of Nonpareil almonds remarkable for size of nuts or yields have 
been noted. As yet it has not been ascertained whether they are really new 
types or whether they are the ordinary Nonpareil variety growing under 
specially favorable conditions. 
53. O’NEIL 
Origin.—Found among nursery stock purchased by C. C. Barr, Esparto, Calif., 
in 1894. Grown to a limited extent in the Esparto-Capay districts. 
Description 
TREE 
Quite upright, but open (ratio of height of head to width, 1:14), rather 
vigorous grower. Trunk vigorous, stocky, quite straight; bark rough, exfoliat- 
ing in large patches. : 
Main branches.—Medium in length, stocky, upright. Branching angle acute. 
Wood brittle. Bark dark reddish brown with thin, gray epidermis on young 
branches; old bark very rough, exfoliating in very thick patches. 
Twigs.—Medium in length; very stocky. Wood brittle. Nodes small. Inter- 
nodes medium in length (4 to 1 inch). Bark thick and rather tough; light 
green, turning reddish brown in patches in autumn. 
Lenticels—Medium in number and size (on bark 8 to 10 years old, iz by 
7s to sz by 2 inch), raised, wide elliptical, apexes usually blunt. On young 
branches, raised, gray, rather conspicuous. On twigs, numerous, gray green, 
usually inconspicuous. 
Foliage-——Of medium density. Leaves on individual branches, rather few, 
Slightly twisted. 
Blade: Size varies (3 by 2 to 14 by 4 inches; average medium, { by 3 
inches; ratio of width to length variable, average 2:7). Shape ovate. Base 
bluntly acute with rather straight sides; origin of margins symmetrical or 
slightly unsymmetrical. Apex long, tapering, with rather straight or incury- 
ing sides which at tip round off suddenly; an acute point is present at tip. 
Margins coarsely crenate; bristles short and wide. Midrib rather large and 
prominent. Veins distinct, frequently slightly elevated on lower surface. 
Petiole: Usually stocky and short (average, 2 inch; ratio of length of petiole 
to length of blade, about 1:5). Light green, upper surface turning rusty red 
in late summer. Groove wide and shallow. Glands two to four, frequently 
none, very small, globular; sometimes basal crenations are slightly glandular. 
Bearing habit.—Average crop light. Frequently blossoms are injured by 
frost; blooms a few days earlier than I. X. L. Bears on wood 1 to 6 years old. 
Spurs frequently compound, living one or two years; very large (sometimes 
4 inch in diameter). Single spurs short to medium (2s to + inch), medium in 
width (4 inch), expanding suddenly to wide oval disk 3s by + inch. Some 
single spurs are really short twigs 4 to 1 inch long. Buds short, plump, conical, 
apex rather blunt; scales dark brown, small, thick, rather hard, with short, 
gray pubescence on edges. 
Immature nut.—Size average medium (14 by 14 by 1 inches). Shape plump, 
ovate; part on ventral side of axis ovate; part on dorsal side oblong-ovate or 
oblong-oval. Ventral edge sharply and evenly curved; ventral ridge 7s inch 
high; ventral suture distinct, shallow. Dorsal edge gently curved at base and 
apex. Base plump, sloping dorsally, stem cavity shallow. Apex plump, 
bluntly pointed; style remains late; rudiment small. 
Hull: Outer surface green, turning grayish yellow ; pubescence very abundant, 
very long, rather coarse, gray, woolly. Inner surface rapidly turns reddish 
brown during dehiscence. Dehisces along ventral edge; dorsal edge cracks 
somewhat at apex and base; ventral edges curl inward. In dehiscing hulls 
remain attached to disk at base, but finally fall from tree before nut does. 
In knocking, hulls come loose easier than nuts, which are difficult to knock. 
Ripens August 15 to September 5. 
Hulled nut.—(Pl. XI, C.) Size medium (1% by 1 by #8 to 14 by 14 by # 
inches). Number of nuts to the pound, 120 to 150. Percentage of kernel to nut 
in hand-cracked samples, 25. 
Shape: Rather plump, wide, ovate (edgewise view, plump, ovate, sides fre- 
quently unsymmetrical), Ventral edge plump, curved, curving sharply at apex; 

