[Illustration: Fig. 3.—Typical hillside orchard of Jordan almonds near Los Gatos. Trees are variable in size, and some are missing. In the right foreground is a typical spot of missing trees resulting from Oak fungus infection.] THE COAST SECTION Almonds were planted quite extensively in past years in many of the coast valleys, such as the Santa Clara, and where they were protected from the direct influence of the moist ocean breezes, they apparently did well. Later most of these orchards were replaced by prunes and apricots as they were generally found to be better paying crops in these valleys. On the hills, however, many typical hillside orchards remain, as shown in figure 3. Localities directly affected by the coast breezes have proved themselves to be unfit for commercial almond culture. INTERIOR COAST VALLEYS AND HILLS Back from the coast in the smaller valleys and on the hills where the coast fogs seldom reach, many locations may be found where almonds are producing successfully. These favorable localities are scattered, owing to lack of proper soil or moisture conditions. _Paso Robles District._—The one outstanding district in the coast hills where the almond is being grown successfully is in the country west of Paso Robles. There, at an elevation ranging from 900 to 2000 feet, where there is sufficient air drainage to the considerably lower land near by, the almonds are doing well. These plantings are, in most cases, on a comparatively heavy soil, sometimes approaching adobe, and underlaid by marl. This limestone formation is quite permeable to both water and the roots of the trees, and the rock itself acts as a sponge and holds considerable quantities of moisture. On the other hand, consisting of steep hills, the land is excellently drained and the trees seldom suffer from standing water around the roots. The chief objection is that most of this land is very shallow, generally ranging from two to four or five feet deep. In some places almonds are found growing where the marl is so close to the surface as to be turned up by the plow. This makes the retention of moisture for the use of the trees a serious problem. The trees do not attain large size on such soils and the nuts are inclined to be somewhat smaller than normal. The steep character of much of the land makes tillage and spraying rather difficult and expensive. As long as the price of the land is kept down to a reasonable figure, the grower can afford to put more money into the care of both land and trees. It must be thoroughly understood that there are many localities close to Paso Robles that are greatly subject to frost and hence not at all suited to almond culture. This is especially true of the lands directly around and east of Paso Robles, and also of any of the comparatively low lands throughout the district. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA