﻿APRIL, 1 TO JUNE 30, 1917. 33 



44625 to 44628— Continued. 



thick at the base, giving off its first branch 18 feet from the ground. 

 The crown is not very broad, but open and sparsely branched, some of 

 the limbs showing a tendency to droop. The age of the tree is not 

 definitely known, but it is probably 15 to 20 years. The character of 

 bud wood produced by the tree is fairly satisfactory ; the growths 

 are short, but the buds are well formed and show no tendency to drop. 



" Lacking a definite test in the United States, it must be assumed 

 that the variety is about average in hardiness. The climate of Antigua 

 is not sufficiently cold to demonstrate the hardiness of a variety. 



" The flowering season is February and March. The fruit ripens 

 rather early for this region, the first ones commencing to drop in 

 February, while a few hang on until April or May. The season may be 

 called January to April. This rather early season of ripening is of 

 especial importance to California, and the variety should be given a 

 careful trial in that State. The productiveness of the variety is satis- 

 factory. The crop which ripened in the spring of 1917 was good, but 

 few fruits were set from the blooms of 1917. This is nothing unusual, 

 since the Guatemalan race of avocado does not as a rule bear heavily 

 every year. 



" The fruit is broadly obovoid, 1 pound in weight, round and yellow- 

 ish green on the surface, with a skin almost as thick as a coconut shell, 

 but easily cut. The flesh is almost as yellow as butter, clean and free 

 from discoloration, and of very rich flavor, while the seed is compara- 

 tively small and tight in the cavity. The variety has every appearance 

 of being an excellent one. 



" The fruit may be formally described as follows : Form obovoid, 

 slightly oblique at the apex; size above medium to large, weight 15 to 

 18 ounces, length 4^ inches, greatest breadth 3£ inches ; base rounded 

 or obscurely pointed ; stem stout, 4 inches long, inserted obliquely with- 

 out depression ; apex obliquely flattened, depressed around the stigmatic 

 point; surface heavily pebbled to rough, green to yellowish green in 

 color, with numerous small, rounded, yellowish dots ; skin thick, about 

 one-eighth of an inch throughout, not thicker toward the apex than 

 near the base, as in many avocados, woody, very . brittle ; flesh firm, 

 smooth, rich yellow in color, tinged with green near the skin, fiber or 

 discoloration entirely lacking, the flavor very rich and pleasant ; quality 

 excellent; seed medium sized or rather small, roundish conic in form, 

 weighing 2 ounces, tight in the cavity, with both seed coats adhering 

 closely." (Popenoe.) 



For an illustration of the Panchoy avocado, see Plate V. 



See also Exploring Guatemala for Desirable New Avocados, Annual 

 Report of the California Avocado Association, 1917, p. 127, fig. 23 ; re- 

 print, 1918, p. 25, fig. 23 ; and The Avocado in Guatemala, U. S. Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture Bulletin No. 743, p. 54, pi. 17. 

 44626. "(Nos. 112, 119, 141. Avocado No. 21.) Benik. This is a very 

 handsome fruit of fine quality. When cut in halves the contrast of its 

 purplish maroon skin with its rich yellow flesh is very attractive, the 

 purple of the skin intensifying the yellow of the flesh. The tree is a 

 good bearer, and the variety seems well worthy of a trial in the 

 United States. 



" The parent tree is growing in the finca La Polvora in Antigua, 

 Guatemala. It has recently been girdled, with the intention of killing 

 50628—22 3 



