32 BULLETIN 743, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Panajachel, westward from the city of Guatamala some 60 miles, 

 has already been mentioned as enjoying a particularly favorable 

 situation. Its climate seems to be slightly warmer than that of 

 Antigua, though its elevation is practically the same. Its rainfall 

 is in general that of Antigua and the city of Guatemala. 



Momostenango (7,400 feet), the highest point at which avocados 

 are extensively grown in Guatemala, has a cooler climate than any 

 of the other regions which have been considered, but it is not so cold 

 as most towns in Guatemala which lie at this elevation, owing to its 

 protected situation. Little is known regarding its temperatures, 

 since it is a remote spot. A mango tree of good size was seen at 

 this place; it is safe, therefore, to assume that it does not get very 

 cold. 



Going to the other extreme, Mazatenango (1,150 feet), on the west 

 coast of Guatemala, and Chama (1,000 feet), in Alta Vera Paz, 

 are the lowest situations at which Guatemalan avocados were seen 

 in bearing. Both have hot climates, typical of tropical lowlands, 

 with no cold weather and a heavy rainfall. It is generally believed 

 that avocados of the Guatemalan race do not succeed at low eleva- 

 tions. The trees seem to grow well, but they are said to fruit very 

 sparingly. Judging from the very few instances in which trees 

 of this race were found at elevations lower than 2,500 feet, it seems 

 that there must be some basis for this belief. 



HARDINESS OF THE GUATEMALAN AVOCADO. 



Severe frosts are not experienced in Guatemala at altitudes lower 

 than 7,000 feet. In searching for avocados of the Guatemalan race 

 likely to prove unusually hardy in the United States it is necessary, 

 therefore, to ascend to 8,000 or 8,500 feet, at which altitude the 

 winters are sufficiently cold to injure varieties not particularly frost 

 resistant, thus bringing to light the hardiest. 



At 5,000 feet in Guatemala avocados are subjected to a mild, and at 

 times cool, climate, but never enough frost to test their hardiness 

 severely. At 7,500 feet, the upper limit of orange culture, severe 

 frosts are probably occasional, but no meteorological data are avail- 

 able to show the minimum temperatures experienced. It seems very 

 doubtful whether the temperature goes as low at this elevation as 

 it does occasionally in the orange-growing districts of California 

 and Florida. 



Above 8,000 feet it is cold enough to freeze large trees of the Guate- 

 malan race, and trees at this elevation which show no frost injury 

 after a hard winter must either be more resistant than the average 

 or must be grown in a protected situation. (PI. X.) 



There are no records of minimum temperatures at elevations of 

 8,000 or 8,500 feet in Guatemala, to show how much cold avocados 



