THE AVOCADO IN GUATEMALA. 65 



The tree is said by the owner to have been planted by his grand- 

 father from a seed brought from Moran, a small village about 10 

 miles distant. While its age is not definitely known, it is estimated 

 at about 60 years. It is about 25 feet high, broad and spreading 

 in habit, with a trunk 15 inches thick at the base, branching 7 feet 

 from the ground to form a dense crown fully 30 feet broad. A 

 peculiarity of the tree is its very brittle wood. This may be against 

 the variety in California and Florida, where strong winds occasion- 

 ally do much damage. The growth seems to be vigorous, and the 

 bud wood is very satisfactory, the twigs being stout, well formed, and 

 supplied with vigorous buds. 



The climate of Mixco is cool, but not cold enough to test the hardi- 

 ness of the variety. This can only be determined by a trial in the 

 United States. 



The tree flowers in March. According to the owner, it has not 

 borne as well in recent years as formerly. He attributes this to 

 the fact that the tree is getting old, but it seems in addition to have 

 been weakened by the attacks of insects. No fruits were produced 

 from the 1916 blooms. The 1917 blooms resulted in a good crop, but 

 many of the fruits dropped to the ground when nearly full grown. 

 Upon examination they appeared to have been attacked by some in- 

 sect, whose burrows could be seen toward the base of the fruit. The 

 season of ripening is said to be from February to April, the fruits 

 being at their best in March. They can, however, be picked as early 

 as January. Toward the end of the season they become very rich in 

 flavor. 



The fruit is long and slender, tending toward pyriform. It 

 weighs as much as 3 pounds in some instances. It is deep purple in 

 color when fully ripe and has a rather thin skin for this race and deep 

 cream-colored flesh of very rich flavor. The seed is very small in 

 comparison to the size of the fruit. 



An American relates that he once brought a fruit from this tree to 

 his home in the city of Guatemala, where it sufficed to make salads 

 for two meals for a household of 10 people. 



The variety may be formally described as follows: 



Form oblong to slender pyriform ; size extremely large, weight 28 to 36 

 ounces, and occasionally up to 48 ounces, length 7 to 8% inches, greatest breadth 

 3| to 4| inches; base broad to narrow, sometimes pointed, the slender stem 

 about 5 inches long inserted slightly obliquely without depression ; apex rounded ; 

 surface nearly smooth, deep dull purple in color with numerous russet dots and 

 patches ; skin moderately thick, about one-sixteenth of an inch or slightly more, 

 coarsely granular and woody; flesh cream yellow in color, free from fiber or 

 discoloration, and of fine texture ; flavor rich and pleasant ; quality excellent ; 

 seed very small, slender conical in form, about 1* ounces in weight, tight in the 

 seed cavity, with both seed coats adhering closely to the cotyledons. 

 79774°— 19— Bull. 743 5 



