THE AGRICULTURAL NEV.S. 



May 1, 1909. 



WEST INDIAN FRUIT. 



THE AVOCADO PEAR, 



The very wholesome character and peculiarly 

 attractive flavour of the avocado pear have caused it to 

 be regarded with increasing favour in all countries 

 •where it is known, and the cultivation of this plant has 

 now extended to practically all the tropical and many 

 sub-tropical parts of the world. 



In the West Indies avocado pears are produced in suffi- 

 cient quantity to supply the local demand, but it is uid'ortu- 

 nate that the great susceptibility of the fruit to damage by 

 bruising should be a great obstacle in the way of building up 

 an export trade, otherwise a remunerative industry might 

 already have been established in this direction. The avocado 

 is undoubtedly one of the ni9st delicate of West Indian fruits, 

 and it is necessary to use the greatest care in gathering and 

 handling it. The slightest bruise is sufficient to cau.se the 

 pear to rot in a very short time ; indeed, it is often much 

 bruised by its own seed if carelessly shaken. 



Notwithstanding this, "liowever, it lias been amply 

 demonstrated that it is possible succes.sfully to ship avocados 

 for very considerable distances, if due care is exercised in 

 gathering, packing, etc. West Indian pears have been 

 exported in small (|uantity to New York and to England, and 

 experimental shipments from the Hawaiian Lslands to the 

 Pacific coast of the United States (reported on in the A<iri- 

 cidtural Neirs, Vol. VI, p. 404) gave very satisfactory results. 

 Under the system of packnig which seemed most suitable, 

 the pears arrived at their destination (Portland, Oregon) with 

 a loss of only 2 9 per cent. It is generally reconnnended 

 that the cases in which avocados are packed for transport 

 should be small in size and contain but few fruits. The 

 crate found most satisfactory in the Hawaiian experiments 

 (with medium-sized fruits) w'dS of the following dimensions, 

 inside measurement : 1.3xl4x3| inches. This crate con- 

 tained about one dozen fruitS, necessarily in a single layer, 

 the fruits being merely wrapped in a single pajier cover. 



There is a good market for avocados in the United 

 States, and the crop is being increasingly cultivated in 

 Florida, where efforts are being made, by selection and 

 breeding, to produce improved varieties. It is stated in the 

 Yearbook of the U.S. Department of Agricultiu-e (1905) that 

 West Indian avocados were -exported to New York so long 

 a,go as 1887, when one firm handled from .'500 to 500 fruits 

 per week from tliese colonies during the months fiom June 

 to November. It would seeiji that the West Indian avocado 

 trade did not survive competition with the Florida product. 



.\\-ocado trees arc u.suaJJy produ'„'Lv.l from seed, but as 



with most other fruits, the vegetative method of propaga- 

 tion is to be recommended in preference. Budding has 

 proved very successful with this tree, the simplest form of 

 the operation — that known as shield budding — being the 

 best to employ with the avocado. 



LIME GROWING AT TORTOLA. 



Efforts are being made to encourage lime planting 

 at Tortola, since one or two preliminary attempts in 

 this direction have given pronii.se of success. The first 

 three hogsheads qf concentrated lime juice prepared in 

 the island, were shipped to London in March last, and 

 were valued at £45. The juice was prepared at the 

 Experiment Station. With the object of bringing the 

 question of the possible establishment of a lime indus- 

 try before the general population, a meeting was held 

 at Tortola on JLarch 25 last, under the presidency of 

 his Honour the Commissioner, when Jlr. W. C. Fish- 

 lock, Agricultural .-Instructor of the Virgin Islands, 

 gave an address dn the matter. About seventy peasanti 

 proprietors were in attendance. 



Mr. Fi.shlock t^rew attention to the importance of mak- 

 ing every effort to develop the agricultural resources of the 

 Virgin Islands, and referred to the increased prosperity of 

 the Presidency sinc^ the establishment of the cotton industry. 



Tortola was not adapted for .sugar production oa 

 a commercial scale, and, therefore, attention must be given to 

 other industries, among which lime growing appeared well 

 suited to the local conditions. It had already been demou- 

 strated that limes vVould giow well on the rich slopes of the 

 north side of the i-i^land, and in the sheltered valleys of the 

 south side. 



An advantage in favour of this crop was that it was por- 

 manent in character, and when once established, required little 

 attention, compared wdth such crops as sugarcane, cotton, etc. 



It was pointed out that no large outlay on machinery 

 would be necessary to start an industiy in the preparation <if 

 concentrated lime juice. The limes could be crushed ia 

 existing sugar mills, and the juice boiled in the batteries. 

 Small holders might note that the skins of the fruits, after 

 crushing, make a us<:(ul addition to cattle food; 



One small holder present at the meeting stated that he 

 had already several hundred lime trees in bearing on hia 

 h(jliling. 



