30 THE AVOCADO IN FLORIDA. 



The tree is a less vigorous grower, and the branches are inclined to be 

 slender. The leaves are borne on a slender petiole about half as long 

 as the blade, which is thin and elliptical in shape. The flowers are 

 borne in an open panicle on long slender pedicels and the fruit ripens 

 earlier than the West Indian-South American form. 



Another striking peculiarity of this form is that the hrst pair of 

 scale-like leaves produced have, while those of the West Indian-South 

 American form do not have, a distinct petiole and blade. (See fig. 1.) 

 This form has been grown successfully in California, where it is 

 becoming popular. Figure 9, B, is from a specimen kindly furnished 

 by Mr. W. Chappelow, Monrovia, Cal., from a tree grown from seed 

 of the first importation from Mexico hy the Department of Agriculture. 



THE WEST INDIAN-SOUTH AMERICAN AVOCADO. 



The fruit of the West Indian-South American avocado is large. 



varying in weight from a quarter of a pound to 3 pounds. The shape 

 is as variable as the size, varying from oblate spheroidal to almost 

 banana shaped. (See figs. 6, 7. 8, and fig. 9, A.) The color of the fruit 

 is purple, scarlet, yellow, and green. The rind is usually thick and 

 brittle. The seed is often very large, sometimes making up one-half 

 the weight of the fruit; the shape of the fruit variable- — spheroidal to 

 conical. The tree is of vigorous growth, reaching a height of 20 to 

 30 feet, and sometimes i*. even taller; the branches are thick and brittle. 

 The leaves are borne on a short, thick petiole, less than one-fourth the 

 length of the blade, which is thick, elliptical, and from -I to 10 inches 

 long. The lower surface of young leaves is covered with a pubescence. 

 Flowers in open panicle are borne on a short peduncle. The fruit is 

 borne on a thick pedicel, and ripens from the middle of July to Decem- 

 ber. A few trees retain their fruits until January, and even up to 

 March. 



In the native habitats the species seem to run to distinct forms, 

 as is indicated from the botanical literature and botanical specimens 

 named by authorities on the subject. These forms do not come true 

 to seed when brought into cultivation, owing probably to the fact that 

 the trees are put under special new conditions, and that trees from a 

 large number of varieties are planted near to each other, making cross- 

 pollination almost certain. It is not surprising, therefore, that we 

 find large-fruited and small-fruited trees; yellow, green, scarlet, and 

 purple colored fruit; small, medium-sized, and large leaves; good, 

 bad, and indifferent qualities, all coming from selected fruits from a 

 single tree, as indicated from observations cited on a former page. 

 It is really only what should be expected when viewed from a plant 

 breeder's standpoint. 



