Part 11

TABLE X

NUMBER OF ALMONDS PER POUND FOR YEARS 1913 TO 1916, INCLUSIVE

Variety 1913 1914 1915 1916 Average

Nonpareil 256 240 224 223 236 I.X.L. 149 149 159 150 152 Ne Plus Ultra — 163 179 169 167 Drake 189 132 131 130 145.5 Languedoc 226 220 185 213 211 Texas 182 171 165 173 173 Reams 138 123 143 148 140.5 Lewelling 154 150 158 139 150 Peerless — 118 127 134 124 Princess 270 241 190 252 238 California — 232 211 206 216 King — 246 234 244 241 Harriott — 175 151 176 167 Jordan — 76 70 75 74

The value of an almond for shelling depends not alone on its relative ease of cracking, but also upon the percentage of kernel to the whole nut as shown in table XI:

TABLE XI

PERCENTAGE OF KERNELS TO WHOLE NUTS

1913 1914 1915 1916 Average Variety Per cent Per cent Per cent Per cent Per cent

Nonpareil 67.5 65.0 67.2 67.0 66.6 I.X.L. 45.31 48.5 60.6 54.7 52.28 Ne Plus Ultra — 53.25 57.6 58.5 56.45 Drake 46.33 42.40 47.0 42.2 44.48 Languedoc 48.75 50.0 49.4 48.5 49.16 Texas 43.75 45.0 42.4 44.4 43.89 Reams 45.94 42.5 49.25 43.4 45.27 Lewelling 43.44 48.8 50.6 45.0 46.96 Peerless — 36.0 39.65 32.5 36.05 Princess 65.0 73.0 70.6 73.8 70.6 California — 71.2 70.6 69.5 70.43 King — 70.0 72.0 71.6 71.2 Harriott — 56.25 54.2 50.6 53.68 Jordan — 25.0 23.8 26.9 25.23

Double kernels are particularly undesirable in nuts for shelling because of the irregular shape of the halves, which renders them unfit for confectionery or bakery purposes where whole kernels are used. Table XII shows the percentage of double kernels by number:

TABLE XII

PERCENTAGE OF DOUBLE KERNELS FOR DIFFERENT VARIETIES

Variety 1914 1915 1916 Average

Nonpareil 1.09 1.96 6.10 3.05 I.X.L. .50 .50 .80 .60 Ne Plus Ultra 4.30 5.76 12.06 7.37 Drake 12.72 6.25 6.65 8.54 Languedoc .99 .32 1.60 .97 Texas 11.56 7.40 11.90 10.29 Reams 9.92 13.79 4.82 9.51 Lewelling 13.30 28.70 46.50 29.50 Peerless 4.44 7.05 8.38 6.62 Princess .83 .21 4.61 1.88 California .00 .00 .097 .032 King .00 1.28 2.13 1.14 Harriott 1.43 .40 .80 .88 Jordan 1.32 3.72 3.74 2.93

METHODS OF CLASSIFICATION

Almonds are classified according to hardness of shell, into four classes:

Papershell.—Those almonds having a thin, papery shell which may easily be broken between the fingers of one hand.

Softshell.—Those which have a more or less spongy or thin shell which may be broken between the fingers of two hands.

LANGUEDOC. TEXAS. DRAKE.

NONPAREIL. I.X.L. NE PLUS ULTRA.

TARRAGONA. JORDAN. PEERLESS.]

Standardshell.—Those requiring very strong pressure of the hand or the use of a nut-cracker to break. These may have a spongy or smooth outer shell.

Hardshell.—Those which cannot be broken by hand but require a sharp blow with a hammer or strong pressure with a nut cracker to crack them.

The papershell varieties are excellent for shelling as they contain a large percentage of kernels which may easily be obtained whole. The principal objections are that birds are particularly fond of them since they can crack them easily, and the shells are often poorly sealed. The latter fact makes it difficult to prevent worm infestation and to prevent the penetration of sulphur fumes to the kernel during the bleaching process. As a result practically none of the papershells are bleached but are sold for shelling purposes.

The softshells are generally more attractive for table use because the shells are more perfect and, in commercial varieties, are brighter in color and more attractive. The shells are usually well sealed and can be bleached to give additional brightness with less danger of the fumes penetrating to the kernel than the papershells.

HARRIOTT. EUREKA. LEWELLING.

KING. CALIFORNIA. PRINCESS.

STUART. LA PRIMA. BATHAM.]