18 MANUAL OF TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL FRUITS 



outlived many other corruptions. Since it is reasonably eupho- 

 nious, well adapted to the English language, and widely used, 

 it has been officially adopted by the California Avocado Asso- 

 ciation and is used in the publications of the United States De- 

 partment of Agriculture, as well as by horticultural societies and 

 horticulturists generally. The name alligator-pear, which seems 

 to have appeared in the same way and about the same time as 

 the term avocado, is considered decidedly objectionable, and a 

 vigorous effort is being made to eliminate it from popular usage. 

 Ahuacate (more commonly but less correctly spelled aguacate) 

 is the name at present used in Mexico, Central America as far 

 south as Costa Rica, and the Spanish-speak- 

 ing islands of the West Indies, as well as in a 

 few other parts of the world. The original 

 form ahuacatl is still employed in those sec- 

 tions of Mexico where the Aztec or Mexican 

 language has not been replaced by Spanish. 

 The avocado tree is ahuacaquahuitl, a com- 

 bination of ahuacatl and quahuitl (tree). 

 There were at least two towns in ancient 

 FIG. 2. Sign of Mexico named Ahuacatlan. This word was 



the avocado tree -. . ., . . ... ., A 



used by the Aztecs, expressed in the picture writing or the Aztecs 

 by means of the sign of the avocado tree and 

 the locative suffix -tlan, indicated by teeth set in the trunk of 

 the tree (Fig. 2). The picture thus read ahuacatlan, or "place 

 where the ahuacate abounds." The word ahuacatl has two 

 meanings ; one, the fruit of the avocado tree, and the other, 

 testicle. 



The name pahua (from the Aztec pauatl, fruit) is applied 

 in certain parts of Mexico to avocados of the Guatemalan and 

 West Indian races, distinguishing them from the thinner 

 skinned and smaller ahuacates of the Mexican race. 



In southern Costa Rica the common name is cura, while in 

 the western part of South America the Peruvian name palta is 



