R. M. Teague Nurseries, San Dimas, Cal. 
43 
Bearing habit of the better strains of avocado trees 
TROPICAL FRUITS IN CALIFORNIA 
AVOCADOS 
AUTHORITIES tell us that the native 
home of the Avocado is Southern Mexico. 
From there it was introduced into the 
tropical sections of Central and South 
America. In 1526 Gonzalo Hernandez de Oviedo 
gave the first written account of the Avocado, hav- 
ing seen trees growing in Columbia near the Isthmus 
of Panama. Other explorers report its presence in 
Mexico and Central America during the sixteenth 
century, referring to it as an article of food amongst 
the natives. In these tropical countries it takes the 
place of meat to a very large extent. The natives of 
Guatemala consider a few tortillas, an Avocado and 
a cup of coffee a very good meal. 
The Avocado contains a higher percentage of oil 
and fat, some varieties going as high as 30%. Thepro- 
tein content is also higher than in any other fresh 
fruit. 
It will be seen from this that it ranks high as a 
food and its consumption will be much more general 
amongst the people of the United States as they be- 
come acquainted with its true food value. 
There are three different groups of Avocados: the 
West Indian, Guatemalan and Mexican. 
The distinction is, however, less between the West 
Indian and the Guatemalan, the principal difference 
being in the hardiness of the tree and the thickness 
of the peel of the fruit, the former being more sus- 
ceptible to cold and the peel thinner and more of a 
leathery texture. The foliage is also of a lighter 
shade than in the Guatemalan type. 
Up to the present time practically all of the com- 
mercial plantings in Florida have been of the West 
Indian varieties, but in California they have not 
proven successful on account of their inability to 
withstand our winter climate. 
The Guatemalan type being a native of the high- 
lands of Guatemala, where the climate corresponds 
more nearly to that of California, seem to be better 
adapted to our conditions and the few old seedling 
trees now growing in different sections indicate that 
this type will thrive wherever oranges or lemons are 
not damaged by cold weather. 
The Mexican type is the most hardy of any of the 
Avocados, but the fruit (with a few exceptions) has 
a very thin skin and is much smaller than either the 
West Indian or Guatemalan. The seed in most all 
fruits of this type is inclined to be loose in the cavity. 
This, together with the thin skin, makes them un- 
desirable for shipping. 
EARLY INTRODUCTION INTO 
CALIFORNIA 
As far as known the first introduction of Avocados 
into California was made in 1871 by R. B. Ord, who 
brought three trees from Mexico and planted them 
at Santa Barbara. Other trees and seeds were 
brought in and planted from time to time after that 
date. The Miller, Murrietta and Chappelow trees 
were some of the earliest. Many of the earlier plant- 
ings were killed by frosts on account of being either 
planted in localities not suited to their culture, or 
being varieties of the more tender sorts not adapted 
to our climatic conditions. Only after it was seen 
that the more hardy Mexican varieties would sur- 
vive and produce fruit here was any effort made to 
propagate the better and larger sorts. 
