What would explain the rise of the almond industry in california?

 First, the conditions in the Central Valley of California are very favorable for growing almonds. The conditions include rich soil, a mild climate, abundant sunlight and good water supply. Also, the production of almonds from California has a higher yield than Spain which has been the world's top almond producer so California is competitive. 

In line with other previous and contemporaneous proposals, in 1912 the meteorologist  alfred wegener  amply described what he called continental drift, expanded in his 1915 book the origin of continents and oceans and the scientific debate started that would end up fifty years later in the theory of plate tectonics.