USPP3130P - Almond tree - Google Patents

Description

April 25, 1972 w, ANDERSON Plant Pat. 3,130

ALMOMD TREE Filed May L4, 1970 I NVENTOR Frederic W Anderson ATTO R NEYS United States Patent O 3,130 ALMOND TREE Frederic W. Anderson, Merced, Calif., assignor to Arthur Bright, Le Grand, Calif. Filed May 14, 1970, Ser. No. 37,357

Int. Cl. A01h 5/00 US. Cl. Plt.30 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A dense, medium size, vigorous almond tree having a medium to upright branching habit, abundant foliage with small ovate leaves, heavy white bloom, and small, wellsealed nuts borne regularly and heavily in clusters on short spurs, and in harvest before the Mission (unpatented); the variety being self-fertile, and having substantial resistance to spring frost damage.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY Over a substantial number of years I have engaged in an extensive and continuing plant breeding program at my experimental nursery and orchard located near Le Grand, Merced County, Calif; one purpose of such program being to provide improved varieties of nut trees. The present variety of almond tree resulted from my endeavors in the conduct of such plant breeding program.

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY The herein claimed variety of almond tree was originated by me, in my experimental nursery and orchard located as aforesaid, in the following manner:

Since all present varieties of almond trees are selfsterile, I first crossed almonds with peaches; the latter being self-fertile. While the F generation of such crosses were apparently all self-fertile and with viable seeds, the F generation was nearly all self-sterile and extremely variable. However, by baokcrossing the self-fertile trees of both of such generations with standard almond varieties, a considerable number of seedlings were obtained which were self-fertile. The instant variety is a selection of one of such seedlings and is now bearing heavily in my said experimental orchard.

ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION OF THE VARIETY Subsequent to origination and selection by me of the present variety of almond tree, in the manner above described, 1 asexually reproduced it by grafting on mature trees in my said experimental orchard, and in maturity such reproductions ran true to the original tree in all respects.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY The herein claimed variety of almond tree is dense, medium size, vigorous, medium to upright in branching habit, abundant of foliage with small ovate leaves, white and heavy of bloom, and a regular and heavy producer of small, well-sealed nuts borne in clusters on short spurs,

and in harvest before the Mission; the variety being selffertile, and evidencing substantial resistance to spring frost damage as compared to present standard varieties of almond trees. The present variety of almond tree produced good crops in years when spring frosts destroyed the crop on adjoining trees of such standard varieties.

It is believed that the present variety is the first selffertile almond tree capable of successful commercial adaptation; the self-fertility of the variety assuring of more economical production of almond crops.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The drawing is an illustration, by photographic reproduction in color, of a twig with leaves, nuts in hull, nuts out of bull, and separate kernels.

Plant Pat. 3,130 Patented Apr. 25, 1972 DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY Tree:

Density.Dense.

Size.-Medium.

Vig0r.Vigorous.

Trunk:

Form'.Stocky. TEXHJTGr-Mfidilll'l'l. Branches:

F rm.Stocky.

Texture-Medium.

Branching habit.--Medium to upright.

C0l0r.New wood-red. Mature woodbrown.

Foliage: Quantity--Abundant. Leaves:

Size.Small; average length-2%"; average width if.

Shape.Ovate.

Thickness.Medium.

Texture.-Smooth.

Margin.-Crenate.

Peti0le.-Medium length; medium thickness.

Glands.-Number--1 to 4; alternate; small; positioned on petiole and base of blade.

C0l0r.Top side-Medium green (22-1-6). Under sideLighter green (22-K-5).

Bloom:

Amount of Bloom.-Heavy.

Blooming Peri0d.-February 25-March 12, 1970. Usually 2 or 3 days before Mission, and 2 or 3 days after Nonpareil (unpatented).

Crop:

Bearing-Regular bearer.

Productivity.-Heavy.

Distribution of nuts on tree.In clusters on short spurs.

Harvest peri0d.--Before Mission.

Tenaeity.Hangs well on tree; easy to harvest; easy to shell.

Hull:

Other surface.Smooth.

Form.-Regular.

Thickness.Thin.

Flesh-Tough.

Suture.--Ridged.

Dehiscence.-Opens freely.

Splitting.Along suture.

Nut:

Size.Small; average length-4%"; average width- /a"; average thickness- /2"; average weightapproximately 16 to an ounce.

Form.Length/widthovate. Width/thicknessmedium.

Shell.Soft to hard; thin. Outer shellhard. Inner shellwell sealed.

C0l0r.-Medium light tan (12-I7).

Pits.-Small; numerous; shallow; irregular.

Base.Square to ventrally oblique.

Stem scan-Small.

Apex.0btuse.

Wing-Broad; thin.

Inner surface.Medium color.

Percentage of kernel to nur.-Averages approximate- Size.-Medium to small; average length-Vs"; average Width- /s"; average thickness-We; average weight-approximately 32 to an ounce.

Form.Length/width0val to ovate. Width/thick- 5 mess-Medium.

Base.--Ventrally oblique.

Stem scan-Small.

T exture.--Sm00th to wrinkled.

Pellicle.--Thin.

Pubescence.--Medium.

C0l0r.-Medium light brown (13-6-8).

Number of d0ubles.Medium.

F lav0r.Normal.

Qu'ality.Medium.

Kernel:

in slight detail due to climatic and soil conditions. under 4 which the variety'may be grown; the present description being of the variety as grown in the Central Valley of California.

I claim:

1. A new and distinct variety of almond tree, substantially as illustrated and described, which is dense, medium in size, vigorous, medium to upright in branching habit, abundant of foliage with small ovate leaves, white and heavy of bloom, and a regular and heavy producer of small, well-sealed nuts borne in clusters on short spurs, and in harvest before the Mission; the variety being selffertile, and having substantial resistance to spring frost damage as compared to present standard varieties.

No references cited.

ROBERT E. BAGWILL, Primary Examiner

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