THE AVOCADO 35 



would seem reasonable that to supply these components would be a 

 heavier draft upon the tree. At any rate the fact is certain that an 

 avocado tree must be furnished with a sufficiency of plant food if it 

 is to be expected to produce full and regular crops. 



"Avocados of the West Indian type begin to ripen in Florida 

 about the middle of July and the heaviest portion of the seedling crop 

 matures between August 20th and October 10th. At that period the 

 crop from Cuba and other West Indian islands is likewise being shipped 

 and the large quantity of fruit thus thrown on the market, together 

 with the fact that during the summer and early fall the avocado must 

 compete with northern-grown fruits and vegetables, tend to force 

 prices so low, that at times it is difficult to dispose of the Florida 

 seedlings with any margin of profit. After the middle of October 

 the price of avocados begins to climb and during November and 

 December very satisfactory figures are usually obtained. For this 

 reason the large plantyigs of budded trees which have been made 

 during the past few years have practically all been of late maturing 

 varieties such as the Trapp and Waldin. These varieties mature 

 their fruit so that it may be picked early in October if desired, but 

 under proper conditions will carry at least a portion of their crop into 

 December and in some cases until well along in January. 



"Just how late in the season an application of fertilizer can be 

 made without bringing about a tendency for the tree to mature and 

 drop its fruit at too early a date depends somewhat on weather condi- 

 tions. Fertilizer applied to Trapp trees about the middle of August 

 of the season just passed, apparently had no detrimental effect as to 

 the fruit holding well, while an application of fertilizer given the same 

 trees about the first of September of the preceding year was followed, 

 within a few weeks, by heavy dropping of fully matured fruit. The 

 application made in August of the present year was at the beginning 

 of several weeks of dry weather, while that of the previous season 

 was followed by heavy rains and these differences in moisture probably 

 had considerable to do with the effects of the fertilizer. 



"This second problem is one of great importance to the Florida 

 avocado grower as between December 1 and December 15 the value 

 of his product not infrequently more than doubles and the premium 

 to be gained by being able to carry his fruit until the latest possible 

 date is well worth his very best efforts. 



" It is our plan at Medora Grove to give the trees a heavy fertilizing 

 immediately after the crop has been picked and a light application 

 about the first of February, which brings them to their blooming stage 

 in good condition, quite thoroughly recuperated from their fast during 

 the fall. 



"This program provides for five or six applications of fertilizer 

 during the year, which is probably one or two more than is given by 



