Almond tree

“ There were orchards of almond-trees that seemed from a distance to be bearing a crop of snowflakes, till one came nearer and could distinguish the delicate pinks and mauves of their blossom; there were bushy algobras with rich green foliage; oranges, bearing the last of that juicy crop which, when fresh gathered, melts in the mouth like ice; olive-trees, with dry gray leaves and trunks so grotesquely gnarled as to suggest arboreal pain. The hot sun above, dappling the young corn and filling the stone water-conduits with soft tree-shadows; the tinkling twitter of unseen birds ”

“ The fairy almond-tree—of so tender a hue that you might fantastically imagine it a cherry-tree blushing—casts a light scarf over a dark corner of the shrubbery. The laburnum is preparing for the Summer, and is all hung with tiny green festoons. Against the blue sky, on a bare sycamore branch, that stretches out straight from the trunk, a glad-voiced thrush seems thanking God that the Spring days are come. Wedged tight into three branching boughs, near the stem of a box-tree, I find a warm secure nest, filled with five little blue-green eggs. It is still a delight to me to find a nest ”

“ PRUNING
The almond trees normally set a larger number of fruit buds than they are capable of maturing. The number of blossoms set on a healthy tree to produce a full crop will be generally not more than 20 per cent of the total number which opened in the spring, and oftentimes much less. It has frequently been noted that trees which are somewhat lacking in vigor are inclined to set a larger number of fruit buds than those that are strong and vigorous. The normal set of blossoms on a young, vigorous tree is shown in figure 2. ”

“ ALMOND.
"An Almond for a parrot" seems to have been a proverb for the greatest temptation that could be put before a man. The Almond tree is a native of Asia and North Africa, but it was very early introduced into England, probably by the Romans. It occurs in the Anglo-Saxon lists of plants, and in the "Durham Glossary" (11th century) it has the name of the "Easterne nutte-beam." ”

“ O’er the flowers it brought from its native home;
Think thou again of the woody glade,
Of the sound by the rustling ivy made;
Think of the tree at thy father’s door,
And the kindly spell shall have power once more.
Mrs. Hemans.
{22} Almond Blossom. ... Indiscretion.
The Almond tree is the first of the trees to put forth its blossoms, when spring breathes the breath of life through nature. It has been made the emblem of indiscretion, from flowering so early that frosts too often give a death-chill to the precocious germs of its fruit. ”

“ When it has leaves and roots that are sufficiently developed, the little almond-tree will nourish itself by drawing what it needs from the earth and air. But until then it must live, it must grow stronger, and it must increase a little in size. As nothing can come from nothing, the germinating seed must find somewhere the material for its first growth. This cannot be in the soil so long as the radicle is nothing but a point, incapable of any work; neither can it be in the air so long as the little leaf-bud has not unfolded and developed into foliage. ”

“ As we approach human habitations again, traces of cultivation once more appear; small terraces are levelled on the mountain side and planted with almond-trees, from which our men snatch handfuls of young milky nuts in passing—a universal habit that has given rise to the sarcastic proverb, “The laden almond-tree by the wayside is sure to be bitter.” ”

“ It is true that shade may be found even in the hottest hours of perpendicular noon; and when the sun has fairly beaten you, as he will in less than five minutes, from the field, you may take refuge, if you choose, under the broad-leaved, glistening, umbrella-like almond-trees, so called from a superficial resemblance between the kernels of their fruit and those of the almond, but neither in foliage nor growth having the most distant likeness to the European tree of that name, which Dutch forethought has kindly planted all along the river quay. ”

“ Both pine and fruit trees grow in that mountain garden, and there, in the new moon of February, six young Almond trees burst into flower.
The Peach and Plum trees in the upper garden felt a glow of sympathy with their forward sisters of the south, but the matronly Cherry trees shook their heads at such an untimely show of blossoms. They foresaw the trouble to come.
“The Almond trees,” they said, “will lose their fruit buds this year, as they did last and [Pg 2] the year before. Poor things, they are so emotional! The first whisper of spring that wanders up the foothills sets them all aflame ”

“ And cloudless suns mature the fertile field.” The Hebrew word Shakad, from which the Almond derives its name, means to make haste, or to awake early, given to the tree on account of its hasty growth and early maturity. Aaron’s rod, which budded and brought forth fruit in the Tabernacle during one day, was of an Almond-tree: “It budded and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded Almonds.” (Numbers xvii., 8) . Among the Hebrews, the Almond-tree was regarded as the symbol of haste and vigilance, because of the suddenness of its blossoming, which announced the Spring. ”

“ In fact, the broad spaces of filmy gray made by their acres when leafless are delicious values in contrast with the solid green of the orange orchards. The exquisite revelation of tree systems which stripped boughs give is seen to more perfect advantage 15 against a warm sky than a cold one, and is heightened in effect standing side by side with the flowing green pepper-trees and purple eucalyptus.
In the time of blossoms, an almond orchard, seen from a distance, is like nothing so much as a rosy-white cloud, floated off a sunset and spread on the earth. ”

“ I had a small world, but it was large enough, since it was bounded by garden walls.
Almond trees are seldom seen in northern gardens; but the Flowering Almond flourishes as one of the purest and loveliest familiar shrubs. Silvery pink in bloom when it opens, the pink darkens till when in full flower it is deeply rosy. It was, next to the Lilac, the favorite shrub of my childhood. I used to call the exquisite little blooms "fairy roses," and there were many fairy tales relating to the Almond bush. This made the flower enhaloed with sentiment and mystery, which charmed as much as its beauty. ”

“ It is evident, therefore, that the principal problem in producing almonds in regions of long winters, as compared with those localities where almonds can be produced, is to secure an almond which naturally has a long resting period, resulting in late blossoming, and yet one which will mature its fruit reasonably early. An almond tree beginning to blossom about the first of February will usually ripen its crop between the first and middle of August, though sometimes later. ”

“ ND through the almond tree the Lord gave the trembling young prophet the strength of assurance. The almond tree is the first to awake from its wintry sleep. When all other trees are held in frozen slumber the almond blossoms are looking out on the barren world. ”

“ Fig. 12.—Typical Ne Plus Ultra almond tree in University Farm orchard; nine years old.
The habit of growth of a given variety will have a great deal to do with the number of seasons during which heading back will be practiced. Spreading varieties, such as the Drake (see figure 8) , if making a strong, vigorous growth, should not be headed any longer than is necessary to start a sufficient number of main branches. Every [32] opportunity must be given the trees of this variety to grow as upright as possible. ”

“ Now there is no change that befalleth man, that can be so lively represented by the blooming of the Almond tree, as that whereby the hair of the head becomes hoary and white. The grey head is similar to this tree, for its whiteness, so in hastiness of appearance, as the Almond tree buds sooner by two or three months than most other trees, so do these hasty buds of age appear; these steal upon men suddenly before they are aware. Some peoples’ hair turns grey at thirty or forty years of age, while other symptoms of the decay of life do not appear on them till sixty or seventy years of age. ”

“ But peepers as well as listeners sometimes learn unpleasant truths about themselves.
“Aren’t we picking too many of these blossoms?” asked the lady of the house. “I’m afraid we are wasting our almond crop.”
[Pg 9]
“Almond trees will never bear in this climate,” said the Master of the Garden. “Better make the most of the blossoms while they last. The frost will catch them in a week or two.” ”

“ Though known to the ancients from the most remote periods of antiquity, the almond tree has only been cultivated in England since the year 1562, and this almost wholly on account of the elegant appearance of its flowers; as the climate of Great Britain is not sufficiently warm for the fruit to be perfected with us.
The almonds that are consumed in this country are imported, sometimes in the shell, but much more commonly without, from France, Spain, Italy, and the Levant; and they are packed in casks, boxes, and bales. The province of Valencia had formerly great celebrity for its almonds ”

“ The fruit, in general, of the Almond tree is valued only for the kernel inclosed in its centre in a stone or nut, it being the only edible part; and is by many greatly esteemed as a choice desert fruit to eat, as well as for various domestic purposes. ”

“ The high mountains of Dauphine and Languedoc are now covered with snow. The almond is in general bloom, and the willow putting out its leaf. There were formerly olives at Tain; but a great cold, some years ago, killed them, and they have not been replanted. I am told at Montelimart, that an almond tree yields about three livres profit a year. Supposing them three toises apart, there will be one hundred to the arpent, which gives three hundred livres a year, besides the corn growing on the same ground. ”

“ Almond trees are generally grafted on plum stocks; and they should be grown in a dry soil and a sheltered situation, as the branches are [Pg 263] brittle and apt to be broken off by high winds. When almond seeds are sown, the sharp end should be pressed downwards; and the young plants should not be transplanted except when absolutely necessary, as they have very long tap-roots. When the almond is planted for ornament it should have a back-ground of evergreens, as its flowers appear before its leaves. ”

“ The trees are usually worked on peach stocks, on which they make a very rapid growth. Several varieties should be grown together, as a better set of fruit will be obtained by doing so, most almonds requiring the pollen of another variety flowering at the same time to render their flowers fertile. The almond grows into a handsome, shapely tree, and, when in blossom, an orchard is a sight not easily forgotten, the wealth of flowers being such that it must be seen to be fully appreciated. ”

“ As an ornamental tree the Almond should be in every shrubbery, and, as in Gerard's time, it may still be planted in town gardens with advantage. There are several varieties of the common Almond, differing slightly in the colour and size of the flowers; and there is one little shrub (Amygdalus nana) of the family that is very pretty in the front row of a shrubbery. All the species are deciduous. ”

“ Soil Handling.—The almond is one of the most exacting of fruits as regards its cultivation. The assumption is very often made by growers that because the tree will live through periods of prolonged drouth, it will also thrive under careless or poor methods of cultivation. That this is entirely erroneous may be inferred from the fact previously referred to that the almond draws more heavily upon the plant food of the soil for the ripening of its crop than any of the common orchard fruits. ”

“ What root is considered best for prune trees? The ranch lies above the creek. A friend is very partial to the almond root instead of the myrobalan, but I understand that the prune tree sometimes outgrows the almond root.
If you have a deep rather light soil which drains well and which there is, therefore, no danger of water standing during the rainy season, the almond root is perfectly satisfactory for the prune. It is a strong-growing root and keeps pace with the top growth well. ”

“ Almond Root.—The greatest proportion of almonds in this state are on almond roots. Where the most desirable soil, moisture and drainage conditions exist it is best to select the almond root. It will live in comparatively dry soils, but cannot be expected to make a tree of large size or bear crops of nuts if the dry conditions continue. Where irrigation is not available, and the soil is deep and of proper texture, sufficient moisture may be retained in most years by cultivation to enable the tree to grow and bear fruit. ”

“ Orchard almond trees are never grown from seed, as they do not reproduce true to type, but are propagated by budding desirable varieties on seedling roots in the manner commonly employed in nursery practices for other stone fruits, like the peach. Every grower must decide, however, on what rootstocks he will plant his trees. ”

“ If you try to reason with them, ‘Our parents and grandparents always bloomed in February,’ they will tell you, ‘and they did not lose their fruit buds.’”
“The Almond trees come of very ancient stock,” said the Normandy Pear, who herself bore one of the oldest names in France. “Inherited tendencies are strong in people of good blood. One of their ancestors, I have heard, was born in a queen’s garden in Persia, a thousand years ago; and beautiful women, whose faces the sun never shone upon, wore its blossoms in their hair. ”