THE AVOCADO IN GUATEMALA. 51 



tested in Florida and California. Since, in addition to its probable 

 hardiness, it is a fruit of very good quality, it can be strongly recom- 

 mended for trial in the United States. 



The parent tree is growing in the patio of Jesusa v. de Carney, 

 corner of Calle Cabanas and 10a Avenida Norte, Totonicapam. The 

 elevation of this town is approximately 8,500 feet, perhaps a little 

 higher. The situation is somewhat sheltered, since the tree stands 

 in the patio of a house, close to the north wall. Since the top of the 

 tree, however, extends 10 feet or more above the roof of the house, 

 the protection can not be of great importance except from one point 

 of view : The tree may have been effectively protected when young, 

 being thus enabled to develop uninjured during the first few years of 

 its growth, after which it was better able to withstand severe frosts. 

 The age of the tree is said to be about 25 years; it stands 40 feet 

 high, with a broadly oval, dense crown, the top of which has been 

 cut out to avoid the danger of its breaking in high wind and fall- 

 ing upon the tile roof of the house. The trunk is about 20 inches 

 thick at the base, dividing 8 feet from the ground to form two main 

 branches, which give off secondary branches at 20 feet from the 

 ground. While the tree appears to be vigorous and hardy, it may 

 be found somewhat difficult to propagate, as it does not make the best 

 type of bud wood. The " eyes " are not plump, but somewhat slender, 

 with the outer bud scales falling early, and the bud itself shows a 

 tendency to fall at an early stage. The wood seems to be rather 

 brittle. 



The flowering season is late April and May. The tree is quite 

 productive, bearing its fruits often in clusters. It produced a good 

 crop from the 1915 blooms and another good one from the 1916 

 blooms. Owing to the great elevation of Totonicapam and the conse- 

 quent lack of heat, the fruits are very slow in reaching maturity. 

 The season of ripening is from September until the end of the year, 

 but the fruits which ripen at this time are those from the previous 

 year's bloom; that is, flowers which appear in May, 1918, develop 

 fruits which will not be fully ripe until September or October, 1919, 



The fruit is of medium size, of attractive pyriform shape, smooth, 

 and green in color. The flesh is of good quality, free from fiber, 

 and the seed is comparatively small. It can be considered a fruit of 

 very good quality and desirable from other points of view than that 

 of its probable hardiness. 



Following is a formal description of this variety. 



Form pyriform, rather slender, and slightly necked ; size medium, weight 12 

 ounces, length 4| inches, greatest breadth 3 inches ; base tapering, narrow, the 

 stem inserted almost squarely without depression ; stem 3J inches long, stout ; 

 apex rounded, slightly depressed around the stigmatic point ; surface smooth or 

 nearly so, light green and almost glossy, with numerous yellow dots ; skin 

 moderately thick, about one-sixteenth of an inch, woody, and brittle ; flesh deep- 



