experience around here is that the peach root starts best. Which root is
most durable? What is the life of the peach root and of the almond?

It is not merely a question of depth to water, but of character of the
soil above the water. Neither of the roots will stand heavy soil which
holds water too long, and both enjoy a free loam which drains readily
down to the water-table or bottom water. If the soil is rather sandy,
letting the water down very quickly, the almond is better in getting to
it than the peach. If it is finer and still well drained the peach will
do well, and the almond enjoys that also. The almond probably can be
counted on to stand coarser soil and greater drouth than the peach and
under such conditions will outlive the peach, probably, but both of them
will live twenty to thirty years or more if pruned in the head to get
enough new wood and the trunk is kept from sunburn. Aside from this
choose the almond root for the almond.



Pollination of Almonds.



I have Drake's Seedling almonds. Some people have told me that I must
plant some hardshell variety between them, otherwise they will not bear.

It is not necessary to plant hardshell almonds near Drake's Seedling
trees in order to have them bear. Some varieties of almonds will set few
nuts unless they are cross-pollinated, but these are the paper-shell
varieties, as a rule - the Nonpareil, IXL and Ne Plus Ultra - and for
these the Drake's Seedling or Texas Prolific is planted as a pollenizer.