72 MANUAL OF TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL FRUITS 



selected varieties from southern Mexico and Guatemala, 

 especially from the vicinity of Atlixco, Puebla, Mexico, which 

 was the source of most of the seeds introduced by Murrieta 

 and has since furnished bud wood of many choice varieties. 



In Florida this race came into notice even later than in 

 California. Several trees grown from seeds sent from Guate- 

 mala by G. N. Collins about 1901 came into bearing at the 

 Miami Plant Introduction Garden in 1911-1912, and their 

 season of ripening, February to April, immediately stimulated 

 interest in this race, since a winter-ripening avocado had been 

 the greatest desideratum of Florida growers. Budwood of 

 practically all the varieties growing in California was obtained, 

 and the first offspring of these came into bearing at Miami in 

 1915. While it can thus be seen that the Guatemalan race is 

 new to Florida, it promises to become of great commercial 

 value, and it has the decided advantage that its culture will be 

 possible farther north than that of the West Indian race. 

 Up to the present the trees are successful under Florida condi- 

 tions. The varieties that have so far fruited ripen from October 

 to May. 



In other countries the distribution of this race is limited. 

 It was introduced into Hawaii in 1885, and has recently begun 

 to attract attention in that territory. Lately it has been 

 planted in Cuba, where it promises to be successful. It has 

 also been introduced into Porto Rico and a few other regions, 

 but only within the last few years. 



The foliage of the Guatemalan race, as of the West Indian, 

 lacks the anise-like odor which characterizes the Mexican. It 

 is commonly deeper colored than the West Indian, the new 

 growth often being deep bronze-red. The fruits, weighing 4 

 ounces to more than 3 pounds (commonly 12 to 20 ounces), 

 and borne on long stems, are light green to purplish black in 

 color. The surface is often rough or warty, especially toward 

 the stem end of the fruit. The skin is usually over ^ inch, 



