ALMOND VARIETIES IN THE UNITED STATES 125 

| somewhat brittle, but many times hard and flinty. Pits very numerous, as a } 
| rule, small to large, generally round, deep, extending over “dorsal edge up to , 
| ridge. Ridge usually marked with fine short grooves. Short grooves at base. 
Base frequently corrugated. Canals vary in size; usually few large and many 
small; round or oval. Network of fibers rather fine. Few fibers large; many 
small. Some spongy material between outer and inner shell. Inner shell thick, 
hard, inner surface dark brown, darker than outer surface and frequently 
marked with lighter brown streaks. Ventral streak varies in width, length, 
and shape, averages rather short; base usually wide and blunt, but sometimes 

acute. 
Kernel: Medium in size (average, ¢ by 2 by # inch), but varies much as Yi 
to size and shape. Many doubles (52 per cent). Single kernels, ovate or oval, i 
plump or flat, many distorted. Ventral and dorsal edges vary in curve. Base fl 
usually round; dorsal shoulder round or slightly square. Apex usually blunt, 
thin or plump. Pellicle thin; usually light brown; veins distinct; pubescence | 
varies, usually smooth at base and short at apex; pellicle fold very short; base f 
scar medium in size, dark brown, usually round. Flavor pleasantly sweet, fair. 
Distinguishing characteristics —This nut and its kernel resemble the Reams 
in many ways, but has more doubles. It is necessary to read the entire de- 
scription in order to identify it. | 

COMMENTS 
Although the variety appears to bear well and the flavor of the kernel is fair, 
the small percentage of kernel to shell and the high percentage of doubles are 
sufficient points of disadvantage to make it unpopular in the market. 
70. SULTANA 
Origin. —A well-known Spanish variety, introduced into the United States 
at an early date. It was first planted in the East, trees being listed for sale 
by nursery firms in New York as early as 1848. Trees of the Sultana almond 
were brought to California from the East in 1853. Attempts were made to grow 
the variety in Pennsylvania in the early seventies and in Georgia in the 
eighties. Later plantings were made in Florida, Mississippi, and Texas. It 
is doubtful if any one almond variety has been planted under a wider range 
of conditions. It was soon found that the Sultana could be grown commer- 
cially only in a few limited areas which were practically frost free in the 
spring. In California the variety is grown less now than formerly, many of 
the orchards having been removed. Most of the commercial production of : 
the variety is in the Oakley district, although Sultana trees are found in 
several other sections. | 
Description 
TREE 
Round topped, rather tall grower, but of drooping habit, less spreading than 
Drake (ratio of height of head to width, 1:1), scraggly. Trunk rather slender, 
inclined to make slow growth; bark rough, with smooth patches; exfoliates 
in large flakes. 
Main branches.—Quite stocky, tend to grow slowly, somewhat zigzag. 
Branching angle obtuse. Wood medium hard. Bark medium tough, reddish 
brown, with grayish epidermis; exfoliates in medium-sized flakes. Striations 
very marked on wood 2 to 4 years old. | 
Twigs.—Medium stocky, rigid. Wood medium tough. Nodes large. Inter- | 
nodes short (4 to ? inch, occasionally longer). Bark with surface leathery in 
texture, very light green in color, with considerable bloom, turning in autumn | 
to dark green tinged with red. | 
Lenticels—Medium in number; raised, brown or grayish brown. On old 
bark narrow, long, oval, with acute ends. On young bark wide oval, with 
bluntly acuteends. Size varies much, sometimes very large (on 8-year-old bark, 
average 3 by 2 inch; on 5-year-old bark, vs by 2? inch). 
Foliage.—Of deeper green than in most varieties. Dense. Leaves numerous, 
many borne in clusters, become light green in fall, very much curled and 
crinkly in late fall, as in some peach varieties. 
Blade: Varies much in size (3 by 14 to 13 by 5 inches; average large, 1 by 
52 inches; ratio of width to length, about 2:7). Shape ovate or elliptical- 
ovate. Base obtuse to bluntly acute; sometimes tapering; origin of margins 

