CHANGES IX COMPOSITION OF CALIFORNIA AVOCADOS. 3 



INVESTIGATIONAL WORK. 



METHODS OF SAMPLING. 



It has been somewhat difficult to get satisfactory trees from which 

 to obtain samples. Orchards are still too few to afford much choice. 

 For satisfactory data upon which to base opinions of either maturity 

 or average composition, samples of each variety should be secured 

 from each of several districts throughout the State. 



Ideal conditions can be secured only where each variety is found 

 growing in the same orchard, thus being exposed to the same climatic 

 conditions and receiving identical cultivation. As some growers 

 neither cultivate nor fertilize their trees, while others do both, it is 

 well within the realm of possibility that the same variety of fruit 

 grown under such varying conditions will differ markedly in compo- 

 sition and maturity. While conditions at the time this work was 

 undertaken were far from ideal, the knowledge gained by any experi- 

 ment goes far in guiding the industry along the right paths. 



A single tree of each of the eight varieties recommended by the 

 California Avocado Association in 1919 2 was selected, in a location 

 where orchard conditions existed, without regard to climatic condi- 

 tions. Each location was in a district where the avocado is commer- 

 cially grown. 



The trees were located as follows : The Blakeman at Altadena, the 

 Dickinson at Chula Vista, the Fuerte at Yorba Linda, the Lyon at 

 Whittier, the Puebla at San Fernando, the Sharpless at Tustin, the 

 Spinks at Duarte, and the Taft at Yorba Linda. This list shows a 

 wide distribution of locations, each growing district of California 

 being represented with the exception of Ventura and Santa Barbara 

 Counties. 



All of the fruit on the trees, which were young, strong growing 

 specimens, bearing from 25 to 75 fruits, was reserved for samples. 

 Although most of the locations were in secluded areas, a great deal 

 of the fruit was stolen. Loss in one location was caused by wind 

 storms. 



Depending on the number of fruits on the tree, samples consisting 

 of from one to six fruits were sent to the laboratory for analysis at 

 monthly intervals. When possible the samples were divided at the 

 laboratory into equal subdivisions, one of which was analyzed at 

 once, the other being wrapped in paper and permitted to soften at 



loom temperature before analysis. Whenever it was necessary to 



store samples after they Were ready lor analysis, they were held at 

 a temperature of from 35° to 15° F. The samples analyzed at once 

 an- here designated "fresh samples," the others, "storage samples." 



J Thr<:'-, of tin- ie ■ been taken from the list because of alleged faults in the ( oi 



fruits, These faults, bowever, had no losltion of the fruit, 



