THE AVOCADO IN GUATEMALA. 45 



ripening season appears to be as follows: First fruits maturing at the 

 end of October; most of the crop maturing in November and Decem- 

 ber, but better if left on the tree until January ; a few fruits, at least, 

 remaining on the tree until March and April. 



The fruit is uniformly oblate in form, resembling a grapefruit. 

 In size it is small, weighing from 6 to 10 ounces. Under better cul- 

 tural conditions, however, the weight will probably go up to 12 

 ounces'. The color when the fruit is fully ripe is deep purple. The 

 surface is pebbled, not distinctly roughened. The skin is of good 

 thickness, hard, and brittle. The flesh is deep yellow in color, free 

 from fiber, but with slight fiber discoloration (not, however, of an 

 objectionable nature), of fine texture, and rich, oily flavor. The 

 quality can be considered excellent. The seed is round, not large for 

 a fruit of round or oblate form. It is generally found that fruits of 

 this shape have seeds considerably larger in proportion to the size 

 of the fruit than is common in good varieties of pyriform or oval 

 shape. As in nearly all Guatemalan varieties, the seed is quite tight 

 in the cavity. 



A formal description of this variety follows. 



Form roundish oblate; size small to below medium, weight 6 to 10 ounces, 

 length 2£ to 3 inches, greatest breadth 3 to Si inches; base truncate, the stem 

 inserted squarely without depression ; stem fairly stout, 4 inches long ; apex 

 flattened, sometimes slightly oblique ; surface pebbled, deep purple in color, 

 sometimes almost glossy, with numerous small yellowish dots ; skin one-sixteenth 

 of an inch thick at basal end of fruit, about one-eighth of an inch thick 

 at apex, separating readily from the flesh, rather finely granular, woody, brit- 

 tle; flesh deep cream yellow to yellow near the seed, changing to very pale 

 green near the skin, quite free from fiber and with unobjectionable fiber discol- 

 oration, firm in texture, and of rich, oily flavor ; quality excellent ; seed small in 

 comparison to size of fruit, oblate, about li ounces in weight, sometimes 

 excentric, tight in the seed cavity, with both seed coats adhering closely. 



ISHKAL. (No. 7.) S. P. I. No. 43602. 



Few avocados are grown in the city of Guatemala which are con- 

 sidered to be of excellent quality. This tree is looked upon as one 

 of the very best and has a considerable reputation locally for the 

 rich flavor of its cleep^ellow flesh. 



The parent tree is growing in the patio of the Masonic Building, 

 Callejon Manchen No. 4. The elevation here is approximately 4,900 

 feet. Apparently the tree is old, at least 50 years, and probably 

 nearer 75. It is about 60 feet high, with a trunk more than 2 feet 

 in diameter at the base, branching about 15 feet from the ground. 

 The crown is erect, dense,~with abundant foliage of good color. The 

 bud wood is excellent, having well- developed eyes which are not 

 inclined to drop and leave a blind bud. Everything seems to indicate 

 that the variety will be a reasonably strong grower, as the branch- 

 lets are long, stout, well formed, and vigorous. 



