LITERATURE. 11 



]\Ir. C. 1'. Taft" says of the avocado in California: 



The avocado, or alligator pear, is dostined to receive more and more attentiou as it 

 becomes better known. It is fairly hardy, and a good grower and bearer. Importa- 

 tions from Mexico are frequent in the Los Angeles markets, where they sell for fancy 

 prices. 



Mr. A. A. Boggs* saj^s: 



The avocado or alligator pear {Persea gratimmn) is already growing rapidly in 

 favor in a few of the larger cities where people are beginning to learn its snjierior 

 excellence as a salad fruit, and it bids fair to l)ecome an important market crop. It 

 has, however, been grown entirely frorn seed, and as it varies widely in size and 

 quality, there is urgent need of improvement in method of propagation. All efforts 

 to bud or gi-aft have hitherto proved abortive. The Department of Agriculture made 

 an importation of seed of a ^Mexican variety about three years ago. Some trees from 

 these have already come into bearing, and proved a disappointment. Th(> fruit is 

 entirely too small and tlic flavor certainly not superior to the average of the old type. 



Mr. Byron O. Clark'' sa3'.s of this fruit in Hawaii: 



The avocado or alligator pear is the one fruit which captures the palate of the vis- 

 itor to the Tropics more lirndy than any otiier, provided he accpiires a liking for this 

 fruit. With the richness and consistency of butter, and a flavor of nuts, it is 

 undoubtedly one of the most popular fruits, if not the mo.st popular with residents, 

 and acquires such popularity with persons who visit the islands that a good market 

 for shipment to the coast is open at any time the fruit can be had. Like almost all 

 other kinds of fruit here, the home market is not nearly supplietl, and the prices are 

 so high that none but the wealthy can use them, except as a luxury. 



LITERATURE. 



Ver}' little has been written about the propagation of the avocado. 

 It was introduced into Europe as early as the seventeenth century, l)ut 

 has not 3'et been generally disseminated. Simmonds's "Tropical Agri- 

 culture" does not mention it at all. Woodrow''s "Gardenino- in 

 India," published in ISOO, does not refer to it. 



Dr. F. Frauceschi'^ speaks of its having fruited in southern Califor- 

 nia. He also points out that the demand for it in the larger cities of 

 the United States is greater than the supph^ 



In 1S99 Capt. John J. Haden'' exhibited fruit of the avocado in 

 Philadelphia. - 



The Botanical Register of 1829 published a colored plate of this fruit 

 (No. 125S), and referred to it as having been introduced from the con- 

 tinent [America], and as one of the rarest species cultivated in the 

 greenhouses. 



Curtis's Botanical Magazine for Ma}^ 1, 1851, published a colored 

 plate of an avocado presenting rather an unusual combination. The 



«Proc., Am. Pom. Soc, 1901, p. 92. 

 &Proc., Am. Pom. Soc, 1901, p. 88. 

 cProc, Am. Pom. Soc, 1897, p. 100. 

 tJProc, Am. Pom. Soc, 1899, p. 88. 



