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.