The Avocado in California 



Southern California is one of the two localities in the United 

 States in which it is possible to grow the avocado. The other 

 district is southern Florida. 



In this restricted area must be grown the future avocado 

 supply for the country. Competition from Mexico or the \Ye-t 

 Indian Islands will never be greater than it has been from those 

 countries in the matter of the orange and other fruit productions. 

 Tropical countries are not given to the rapid or successful de- 

 velopment of their possibilities. 



That the avocado will succeed splendidly in Southern Cali- 

 fornia has been proven so conclusively that It is no longer ques- 

 tioned. There are probably one hundred bearing trees scattered 

 over the southern end of the state from the cool sea coast to 

 the hot and dry interior valleys. These range from five to thirty 

 years in age, and though they are all seedlings, and the fruit pro- 

 duced by them is in many cases rather small and inferior, they 

 have demonstrated beyond the possibility of a doubt that the 

 avocado is pre-eminently adapted to this climate and a com- 

 plete success in it. 



It is, indeed, a reasonable statement and entirely within 

 bounds to say that Southern California may fairly be regarded 

 as possessing the conditions required for the highest develop- 

 ment of this valuable fruit. 



By reason of our rich, well-drained soil, our mild climate 

 which will allow the growth and ripening of the fruit during the 

 entire year, and the energy and enterprise that is a marked char- 

 acteristic of our horticulturists and orchardists, the avocado will 

 reach its perfection of development with us. 



A mature budded tree should produce an average of five 

 hundred fine fruits each year. While the price of such fruits 

 now is from 25 to 50 cents each, with a large acreage this must 

 decrease ; but allowing a price of ten cents per fruit to the grower, 

 which in view of all circumstances may safely be regarded as 

 the minimum price for all time to come, the profit per tree may 

 easily be forecasted. 



The commercial orchards which are now being planned or 

 planted, by some of the most successful orchardists of the state, 

 indicate plainly that the industry is already on a sure footing, 

 Southern California will lead in avocado production and the 

 profit from the industry will be greater than that to be had from 

 raising any other fruit. 



