THE AVOCADO IN GUATEMALA. 47 



tree is 30 or more years of age. It is about 40 feet high, with a dense, 

 dome-shaped crown fully 40 feet broad. The trunk is 18 inches in 

 diameter at the base, branching some 10 feet from the ground. At 

 present the tree is badly attacked by several insect pests and is not 

 in good condition. It appears normally to be reasonably vigorous in 

 growth, the young branches being somewhat slender but not very 

 brittle. The bud wood furnished by the tree is fairly good, the 

 eyes being well developed and showing no tendency to drop at an 

 early age. The twigs are at times slender and angular. 



The climate of Coban is mild ; hence, there is nothing to indicate 

 that this variety will be any hardier than the average of the Guate- 

 malan race. 



The flowering season is February and March. Up to a few years 

 ago the tree is said to have borne large crops of fruit, but at present 

 it does not seem to be doing so well, perhaps owing to weakened con- 

 dition as a result of the attacks of insects and other pests. When 

 first examined in December, 1916, there were only a few fruits on 

 the tree, perhaps a dozen, and after the flowers which were pro- 

 duced in 1917 had fallen only a few fruits were found to be left 

 on the tree for the next season, most of them having fallen before 

 they attained the size of walnuts. They were malformed, as though 

 from the attacks of some parasite. The ripening season is said to be 

 February to March, a few fruits being picked in December and Janu- 

 ary and some hanging on the tree until April or May. 



This is a fruit of medium size, weighing about 15 ounces. In form 

 it is pear shaped, tending to obovoid. The surface is slightly rough, 

 deep green in color, while the skin is moderately thick, hard, and 

 woody. The flesh is of unusually deep yellow color, quite free from 

 discoloration of any kind, smooth and oily, and of unusually rich 

 flavor. The seed is rather small in comparison to the size of the fruit 

 and is perfectly tight in the seed cavity. 



This variety may be formally described as follows : 



Form obovoid, obovoid-pyriform, or pyriform, slightly oblique ; size above 

 medium, weight 15 ounces, length 4f inches, greatest breadth 3£ inches ; base 

 rounded, the stem inserted obliquely without depression ; apex rounded ; surface 

 slightly rough, deep green in color, with a few small yellowish dots ; skin moder- 

 ately thick,' one-eighth of an inch or slightly more, coarsely granular, woody, 

 and brittle; flesh deep yellow in color, changing to pale green near the skin, 

 of fine, smooth texture and free from discoloration of any sort ; the flavor rich 

 and pleasant; quality excellent; seed rather small in comparison to the size 

 of the fruit, rounded oblate in form, about If ounces in weight, with both seed 

 coats adhering closely and fitting tightly in the seed cavity. 



KASHLAN. (No. 10.) S. P. I. No. 43934. 



In quality the Kashlan variety is one of the finest avocados in the 

 series. It has the additional advantages of good size, convenient 

 shape for handling, and a seed which is unusually small. Taken all 



