24 MANUAL OF TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL FRUITS 



already resulted from attempts to grow West Indian avocados 

 in locations in California subject to occasional severe frosts. 

 In this state, the Guatemalan and Mexican races are the only 

 ones to plant. The same is true of central and northern 

 Florida, where the West Indian race has nearly always suc- 

 cumbed to cold. 



In Florida, the region in which avocado culture is at present 

 conducted commercially, lies south of Palm Beach on the east 

 coast and south of Tampa Bay on the west. Of the orchards 

 which are now in bearing, the largest are situated close to 

 Miami and Homestead. On the west coast the most impor- 

 tant plantings are near Fort Myers. Most of the orchards in 

 Florida are planted to Trapp, a variety of the West Indian 

 race. The planting of hardy Guatemalan kinds will prob- 

 ably extend the commercial culture of this fruit many miles to 

 the northward of the present limits of the zone. In addition, 

 it will make avocado growing safer in all regions by lessening 

 the possibility of frost injury. The Mexican race is known to 

 have fruited as far north in Florida as Gainesville and Waldo. 



In California, most of the young orchards, as well as the old 

 seedlings which have fruited for some years, are in the vicinity 

 of Los Angeles, Orange, and Santa Barbara. The coastal 

 belt between Santa Barbara and San Diego, including the 

 foothill region some distance from the coast, has been tested 

 sufficiently to show that planting may proceed with confidence. 

 In the interior valleys comparatively few trees have been 

 planted, and these mainly in recent years. Much less is 

 known, therefore, regarding the adaptability of the avocado 

 in these situations. Old seedlings are to be seen at Visalia, San 

 Luis Obispo, Berkeley, Los Gatos, and Napa, indicating that 

 some varieties may be grown successfully as far north as the 

 Sacramento Valley. Sections of the San Joaquin Valley which 

 have proved suitable for citrus culture, such as the Porter- 

 ville district, should prove safe for the hardier varieties of 



