THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



461 



THE AVOCADO IN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY. 



By C. W. Beers, County Horticultural Commissioner, Santa Barbara, Cal. 



The avocado is an old settlor in Santa Barbara County, having come here very 

 soon after the introduction of this fruit into the United States. From the moment 

 that the tree sunk its roots into the warm, fertile soil of the Monteeito Valley and 



pushed its head up into the balmy, delightful 

 atmosphere that lies so affectionately against the 

 bosom of the foothills it has been at home and has 

 grown luxuriantly and persistently until now thou- 

 sands of the trees are found scattered throughout 

 the sixty miles of coast country from the Rineon to 

 Point Concepeion. 



In 1870 Silas Bond, then living in Monteeito, in 



his search for new plants and new fruits to bring to 



the town which he so dearly loved, secured from bis 



old friend. Dr. Kellogg of San Francisco, known 



throughout the state of California for his active 



interest in introducing new and valuable fruits and 



ornamental shrubs and trees, some avocado seedlings 



which he had obtained from Mexico. One of these 



-Mr. Bond planted at his home in Monteeito and the 



other he gave to his neighbor. Judge Ord, and it was 



planted at the Ord home in the village. Both of 



these trees grew thriftily, but the tree at Judge Orel's 



place never bore fruit of any size. The one at Mr. 



Bond's home, however, produced enough for two trees. 



Mr. Frank Gallaher told the writer that he secured seeds from Mr. Bond's tree 



I'm- a number of seedlings that were planted on his home place in Monteeito and 



these magnificent specimens are still in bearing. About the same time Mr. Kenton 



Stevens planted about a hundred seedlings from the Bond tree and those which have 



not been removed remain today large, thrifty specimens. 



In the fall of 1911 Mr. Sexton visited Honolulu for the express purpose of 

 sampling the avocado and of collecting seed from the choice fruit, that he might 

 introduce the best varieties of the Islands into California. He brought home with 

 him a quantity of seeds, the seedlings from which have been distributed throughout 

 the state for the good of the industry. Mr. Sexton hoped in this way to add to the 

 splendid varieties already available. 



In October of 1912 Mr. Sexton placed a bud of the Dr. White avocado on one of 

 his trees and within 22 months he had sixty matured fruits, after stripping 

 half of the sets from the tree. So prolific is this tree that he gathers fruits almost 

 every month in the year. In 1913 he brought home from Honolulu buds of the 

 nutmeg avocado, which have developed into a beautiful tree, passing through the 

 severe winter of a few years ago unhurt. This is counted one of the latest varieties, 

 being only second to the Inezholt for size of fruits. It is of the Guatemalan type, 

 each fruit weighing from one and one-half to two pounds, ' 



In the experimental grounds at the Sexton home are 7S varieties, many of them 

 in fruit. The climatic conditions in this particular locality afford an excellent oppor- 

 tunity for testing out the comparative hardiness of varieties, as there are frequent 

 heavy frosts both in the spring and in the fall. 



In 1910 Mr. Sexton made his last trip to Hawaii, selecting bud wood from four 

 of the most desirable trees; there are from eight to ten growing trees of each variety 

 thus brought in. This wood arrived after his death. In 1911 Mr. O. N. Cadweil 

 of Carpinteria planted 60 seedlings which, in 19K3. produced an income of $20 per 

 tree. None of these trees have been budded. The planting by Mr. P. II. Rice of 

 120 Hawaiian seedlings is one of the early orchards. The white avocado has won 

 recognition for itself and the Rainey is a desirable fruit, originating in this city. 



And so the avocado has come to stay. Bearing trees are found in hundreds of the 

 local gardens and the more they are known the better they are liked. They have 

 been selected by the park commissioners for one of the principal streets in the city 

 and already the beautiful evergreens are awakening the inquiry of the many travelers 

 who visit the place, because of their beautiful foliage. By and by, as the visitors 



