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



SELECTED GUATEMALAN AVOCADO SEEDLINGS INTRODUCED 

 INTO THE UNITED STATES. 



The 23 avocados described on the following pages have been intro- 

 duced into the United States for trial in California and Florida. 

 Tl^e}" were carefully selected from a large number of trees examined 

 in the Guatemalan highlands, special consideration being given 

 to characteristics of commercial value. Some of them promise to 

 ripen very early in the season; others are late. Fruits of various 

 shapes and sizes are represented, as well as all the common colors 

 found in Guatemala. The quality of every variety was critically 

 tested, and no variety was included in the collection which did not 

 appear entirely satisfactory in this respect. 



In order to distinguish these avocados from varieties originated in 

 the United States, names taken from one of the Maya dialects have 

 been given them. Inasmuch as they come from the Maya territory, 

 this may not be inappropriate. Following the name of each variety 

 is the number under which it was collected in Guatemala, these num- 

 bers running from 1 to 36, inclusive. It will be noted that several 

 of the numbers arc missing; the varieties originally represented by 

 these were found, upon later examination, to have certain defects 

 which disqualified them, and they were dropped from the collection 

 before its introduction into the United States. Following the col- 

 lection number is the serial number under which the introduction 

 is recorded in the inventory of the Office of Foreign Seed and Plant 

 Introduction. 



LAMAT. (No. 3.) S. P. I. No. 43476. 



The Lamat is a variety combining unusual productiveness with 

 good size, attractive appearance, and good quality of fruit. In addi- 

 tion, it seems to ripen earlier than many other avocados, which sug- 

 gests it for trial as a winter-ripening variety in California. It has 

 no claim to unusual hardiness, since it is grown at an altitude where 

 frosts are not experienced. 



The parent tree is growing in the chacara of Angel Samayoa in 

 the town of Amatitlan (elevation 3,872 feet). It stands close to the 

 corner of a small field in which tomatoes and maize are planted an- 

 nually. The soil is a loose sandy loam, apparently of excellent fer- 

 tility and considerable depth. The age of the tree is not known, but 

 judging from its size it is probably 6 to 8 years old. It stands about 

 20 feet high, with an erect crown, extending almost to the ground, 

 about 10 feet broad, and well branched. The trunk is 6 inches thick 

 at the base. The tree shows every indication of being a strong, 

 vigorous grower, as its branches are stout and shapely and not so 

 brittle as in many weak-growing varieties. The bud wood furnished 

 by the tree is quite satisfactory ; the growths are of suitable length, 



