THE AVOCADO 19 



current. The latter occurs in the Quichua language, and is of 

 unknown derivation. 



The names current in various European languages are mainly 

 adaptations or corruptions of the Spanish ahuacate or aguacate. 

 The Portuguese name, used principally in Brazil, is abacate; 

 the French generally call the fruit avocat; while the German 

 name is advogado or avocato. 



In all probability the avocado was brought to Florida by 

 the Spaniards, but the first introduction of which a record has 

 been found was in 1833, when Henry Perrine sent trees from 

 Mexico to his grant of land below Miami. 

 - The first successful introduction into California is believed 

 to have been in 1871, when R. B. Ord brought three trees from 

 Mexico and planted them at Santa Barbara. It seems strange 

 that so valuable a fruit should not have been introduced into 

 California by the Franciscan padres, who came from Mexico 

 in the latter part of the eighteenth century and to whom credit 

 is due for the introduction of the orange, the olive, and the 

 vine. 



According to Higgins, Hunn, and Holt, 1 the avocado was 

 grown in Hawaii as early as 1825, although it did not become 

 common until after 1853. 



The avocado is now cultivated to a very limited extent in 

 Algeria, southern Spain, and France, and has even fruited in the 

 open at Rome. Naturally, only the hardiest varieties succeed 

 in the Mediterranean region. In India and other parts of the 

 Orient it has never become common, although it may have 

 been introduced as early as the middle of the eighteenth century. 

 In Reunion and Madagascar it seems to be more abundant. 

 In Polynesia it has become well established, considerable 

 quantities of the fruit having been shipped from the French 

 island of Tahiti to San Francisco. It is gaining a foothold in 

 northern Australia, and is grown in Natal, Mauritius, Madeira, 

 1 Bull. 25, Hawaii Agr. Exp. Sta. 



