Walter G. Read designed the first almond huller in 1883 when he was in Colusa. At the turn of the century most of the almonds were still being hulled by hand. In 1901 Read opened an almond huller factory (Davisville's first major industry) in the former Sinclair Windmill Factory located northeast of the railroad crossing at Fourth Street here in Davis. His factory was destroyed by fire in 1906 and then rebuilt. Photos of his huller are on exhibit for a limited time at the Hattie Weber Museum.
In May 1907 after Walter Read's death, Theodore G. Schmeiser, owner and founder of Schmeiser Manufacturing Company (1901 to 1917), purchased the Walter Read Almond Huller factory, patents and manufactured three different almond hullers. Mr. Schmeiser moved his business to Fresno in 1917. The business is under the same name but different owners still exists today.
Another huller used in the area was the Beach Almond Huller designed by C. E. Beach of Mills. George W. Pierce Jr. worked with Beach to re-design the huller.
The Almond Bleacher
Patent #1,465.829 for an almond bleacher filed February 16, 1922, patented August 21, 1923, by George W. Pierce Jr.. Pierce describes this invention as "A continuous method of treating almonds which consists in advancing the same in a continuous flow stream through a cylinder or drum maintained in rotation, retarted the flow of the stream of almonds while the same are under agitation, and continuously subjecting the moving body of almonds under agitation to the direct action of jets of live steam to penetrate the shell, sterilized the same and sterilize the meats."