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to understand that I consider it a superior fruit to 

 avocado. I think I said, or at least I intended to 

 say, that I thought its flavor was really superior to 

 that of the avocado. It has some weak spots, 

 course, but I am strongly impressed with its remark- 

 ably rich and nutty flavor. Kensett Champney considers 

 that its flavor is superior to that of the avocado. 

 He seems to think it "wears well" but of course I can 

 not state my own experience. I will admit that I am 

 somewhat enthusiastic over it. As you know, I have a 

 habit of getting enthusiastic over these new things. 

 After my second trip to the Verapaz , I will write up 

 an account of the coyo, tempered with as generous an 

 amount of conservatism as I can muster, and send it 

 up to you. I want to get a little more data than I now 

 have. As it grows wild up to 5000 feet or above, it 

 must be about as hardy as the Guatemalan avocado. Many 

 thanks for Dr. Galloway's notes re the condition of 

 my shipment of budwood from the Verapaz. They were a 

 great help to me, because of their clearness and com- 

 prehensiveness. I regret that I cannot enthuse over 

 the Pacaya. I have eaten it several times, under pro- 

 test, and unless the inflorescences are very young 

 they are bitter. When very young they form an excel- 

 lent matrix for salad dressing. The palm is a beauty, 

 however, and fairly hardy. It ought to be given a 

 wide trial in Florida and California. The work here 

 remains fascinating. There is a great deal to be done 

 yet before I will feel satisfied to end the search 

 for the best avocados, but I am pushing things as 

 best I can, and I hope nothing will happen to knock 

 us out. I am in the pink of condition. I neglected to 

 mention in this letter that I have found the first 

 serious injury done to avocado fruits which I have 

 seen in Guatemala. At Panajachel that larva which 

 bores in the seeds, and which seems to be the same 

 as the one Mr. Sasscer found in some of the seeds I 

 sent up, is causing tremendous damage. I have some 

 photos of fruits cut open, showing the injury, which 

 I will send up soon and which will make the matter 

 much stronger than I can do it with words. A large 

 percentage of the fruits I examined were infested, and 

 many were so badly so that they were not fit to eat. 

 This is unquestionably a serious thing, and one we 

 must guard against carefully. I have some infested 

 seeds in an improvised breeding cage and am going to 

 see if I can breed out some of the adult insects." 



