THE AVOCADO IN GUATEMALA. 7 



fall does not yet enter into the discussion, may briefly be described 

 as follows: 



Tropical zone. — The tropical zone includes the seacoast, the coastal plains, 

 and the valleys of the larger rivers for a considerable distance back from the 

 coast. It includes practically the entire department of El Peten, in northern 

 Guatemala, but this region is very sparsely inhabited and of little horticul- 

 tural importance. The characteristic trees of this zone are those which are 

 commonly found on tropical seacoasts and will not tolerate cool weather. The 

 breadfruit tree (Artocarpus incisa L.) is one of the best known. The most 

 tropical of the anonas, such as the custard-apple (Annona reticulata L. ) and 

 the soursop (A. muricata L.), are at home in this zone. The tamarind (Tama<- 

 rindus indica L.), although it can be grown in the lower edge of the subtropical 

 zone, reaches its greatest development only in this. The same is true of the 

 mango. The star-apple (Chrysophyllum cainito L.) is found only in this zone. 

 All the commercial banana plantations of Guatemala lie within this zone, but the 

 banana is cultivated on a small scale in the subtropical zone up to altitudes of 

 5,500 or 6,000 feet. The pineapple is grown commercially only in this zone. The 

 only race of avocados commonly cultivated is the West Indian. The mamey 

 (Mammea americana L.) and the sapote (Achradelpha mammosa (L.) O. F. 

 Cook) are two other characteristic fruits. 



The upper limit of altitude of this zone may be placed between 2,500 and 

 3,000 feet. The breadfruit tree is not cultivated quite as high as 2,500 feet, 

 but on the other hand the mamey and the sapote are sometimes found above 

 the 3,000-foot line. The highest point at which the West Indian race of 

 avocados has been found is 2,500 feet. 



Subtropical zone. — It may be considered, in general, that the principal horti- 

 cultural zone of the Republic is the subtropical, which begins at the upper limit 

 of the tropical zone, at altitudes between 2,500 and 3,000 feet, where the cli- 

 mate is decidedly warm but without the intense heat of the coast. At 4,000 to 

 6,000 feet it is rarely hot enough to be uncomfortable, but on the other hand 

 there never are severe frosts. Toward the upper limit of this zone, which can 

 be placed at 7,000 to 7,500 feet, frosts are more common, but rarely severe. 

 Only in the semitropical zone are killing frosts experienced. 



It is in this zone that the orange is most extensively grown. It is also the 

 most important zone of avocado culture in Guatemala, being the one in which 

 the Guatemalan race is cultivated. This race ascends occasionally into the 

 semitropical zone, but most of the important centers of avocado culture lie 

 at altitudes between 3,000 and 6,500 feet. The loquat is commonly seen in 

 gardens throughout this zone. The cherimoya (Annona cherimola Mill.), the 

 jocote (Spondias mombin L.), and the white sapote or matasano (Casimiroa 

 edulis La Llave) are other fruits which may be considered characteristic. 



The climate of certain parts of this zone will receive more detailed consider- 

 ation under the discussion of the Guatemalan race of avocados. 



Semitropical zone. — In the semitropical zone the principal fruits are those 

 which have been introduced from farther north and are well known in the Tem- 

 perate Zone. The peach, the apple, the pear, and the quince are abundant, 

 replacing the avocado, the loquat, the orange, and the other fruits of lower 

 elevations. The upper limit of orange culture seems to be about 7,500 feet. 

 Taking this as the boundary of the subtropical zone, it is found that several 

 of the characteristic fruits of that zone extend into the lower edge of the semi- 

 tropical. Ascending above 7,500 feet, the cherimoya is the first to disappear, 

 8,000 feet seeming to be its uppermost limit ; the avocado follows next, grow- 

 ing as high as 8,500 feet ; and, finally, the matasano, which reaches 9,000 feet 

 at the town of San Francisco el Alto, but was not found at greater elevations. 



