﻿APRIL 1 TO JUNE 30, 1917. 65 



44781 to 44783— Continued. 



less; flesh rich yellow, almost golden yellow, pale green near the skin, 

 free from fiber or discoloration, and of fairly rich flavor, with some- 

 times a trace of bitterness ; quality doubtful ; seed small to medium in 

 size, spherical, not over 1 ounce in weight, tight in the cavity. Ripens 

 midseason, March to May at Antigua." 

 44782. "(Nos. 118, 142, 228. Avocado No. 27.) Cabnal. A very pro- 

 ductive variety whose fruits are of pleasing round form, good size, 

 and rich flavor. It gives promise of being somewhat later in ripening 

 than most other Antiguan varieties. 



" The parent tree is growing in a sitio occupied by Atanasio Salazar 

 in the outskirts of Antigua, Guatemala, a short distance beyond the 

 first kilometer post on the Guatemala road. The altitude is approxi- 

 mately 5,100 feet. The tree stands beside a small stream, with several 

 jocote trees (Spondias momMn L.) close around it. Its age is un- 

 known, but it appears to be at least 25 years old, perhaps more. It 

 stands about 30 feet high, the trunk, about 15 inches thick at the base, 

 giving off its first branches 10 feet above the ground. The crown is 

 rather broad, dense, and well branched. The young branches are 

 erect, stout, stiff, and well formed, indicating that the tree is a vigor- 

 ous grower. The wood is not unduly brittle. The bud wood is excel- 

 lent, the branches being of good length with the buds well placed. The 

 eyes are large, well developed, and show no tendency to fall and leave 

 a blind bud. 



" The climate of Antigua is not cold enough to test the hardiness of 

 Guatemalan avocados, but it may reasonably be assumed that this 

 variety is of average hardiness for the Guatemalan race. 



" The flowering season is late February and March. The tree pro- 

 duced a heavy crop of fruit from the 1916 blooms and set an equally 

 heavy crop in March, 1917, to be ripened in 1918. The bearing habits 

 of this variety give promise of being excellent. The fruit ripens in 

 March and April, but can be left on the trees until June or even later. 

 The ripening period may be termed midseason to late. 



" The fruit is round, weighing three-fourths of a pound to a pound, 

 rather rough, and dark green or yellowish green externally, with a skin 

 of moderate thickness. It is attractive in appearance and of conven- 

 ient and desirable size and form. The flesh is cream yellow, very oily 

 in texture, and of rich flavor. There is a peculiar nuttiness about the 

 flavor which is not found in the other varieties of this collection. It 

 may, perhaps, be said to suggest the coconut. The seed is variable in 

 size, but on the average is rather small for a round fruit. It is tight in 

 the cavity. 



"A formal description of the fruit is as follows : Form spherical ; size 

 below medium to above medium; weight 10 to 16 ounces, length 3| to 

 3| inches, breadth 3£ to 3| inches ; base rounded, the slender stem in- 

 serted slightly to one side without depression; apex flattened and 

 slightly depressed around the stigmatic point ; surface pebbled, usually 

 rather heavily so, dull green in color, with a few small yellowish dots ; 

 skin thick, about one-eighth of an inch, coarsely granular toward the 

 flesh, hard and woody; flesh rich cream yellow in color, with no fiber 

 and only very slight discoloration, pale green near the skin, fairly dry, 

 and of rich, nutty flavor; quality very good; seed rather round or 



50628—22 5 



