Although the future almond markets will no doubt use shelled almonds very largely, there will always be a limited demand for unshelled almonds for use in the holiday trade and for home table use. Unshelled almonds to be acceptable for such purposes must be large, attractive nuts with light-colored, clean-looking shells, soft enough to be broken with the hands. The kernels must be well filled and free from gum. The I.X.L. is the most popular and highest-priced nut for this purpose. The Ne Plus Ultra ranks next because of its attractive outside appearance and shape; one of the principal objections to it being its tendency to have gummy kernels. The Drake is another variety in demand for this purpose. It is moderately large, plump and well filled with a good quality kernel, and while not as attractive as the I.X.L. or Ne Plus Ultra, it is popular with the medium-priced trade. A certain class of trade prefers the Nonpareil for such use, and it appears to be growing in popularity because of the attractive kernel and the ease with which shelling by hand is accomplished. The confectioners, on the other hand, care nothing for shell. They want a medium or large sized kernel, uniform in shape, and plump; one that can be coated smoothly or evenly with candy. For blanching and salting purposes, the kernels must be large and smooth. The best California variety for this purpose is the Nonpareil. It is also the best nut for table use when sold shelled. As a rule, the papershell varieties are the best for shelling because of the large percentage of unbroken kernels which may be obtained. The broken kernels and those obtained from cheaper and less desirable varieties are used largely by the bakers and almond-paste manufacturers. The planting of large blocks of orchards to single varieties is not a wise practice. Planting of several varieties will assist greatly in lengthening the harvest season, and thus enable one to handle large crops with fewer men and less equipment. For example, the four best varieties—the Nonpareil, I.X.L., Ne Plus Ultra and Drake—ripen in the order named; the Nonpareil ripening about two weeks before the I.X.L., the Ne Plus Ultra about a week after the I.X.L., and the Drake about two weeks after the Ne Plus Ultra. Where there is danger of failure of varieties to set fruit due to frost or improper pollination or unfavorable weather conditions during, or soon after, blooming, the grower is more likely to get a crop from some variety if several are planted to secure a succession of bloom in the spring. The principal reason for interplanting varieties is to secure adequate cross-pollination. For this purpose the Ne Plus Ultra and Drake are probably the best to use as pollenizers. Other combinations, as indicated on page 6, may be made that will be satisfactory, though care must be exercised to secure varieties that blossom near enough together to be effective. Figure 26 shows the effective blossoming period for fifteen varieties.