LITERATURE. ±1 



Mr. C. P. Taft" says of the avocado in California: 



The avocado, or alligator pear, is destined to receive more and more attention as it 

 becomes better known. It is fairly hardy, and a good grower and bearer. Importa- 

 tions from Mexico are frequent in the Los Angeles markets, where they sell for fancy 

 prices. 



Mr. A. A. Boggs 6 says: 



The avocado or alligator pear (Persea gratissima) is already growing rapidly in 

 favor in a few of the larger cities where people are beginning to learn its superior 

 excellence as a salad fruit, and it bids fair to become an important market crop. It 

 has, however, been grown entirely from seed, and as it varies widely in size and 

 quality, there is urgent need of improvement in method of propagation. All efforts 

 to bud or graft have hitherto proved abortive. The Department of Agriculture made 

 an importation of seed of a Mexican variety about three years ago. Some trees from 

 these have already come into bearing, and proved a disappointment. The fruit is 

 entirely too small and the flavor certainly not superior to the average of the old type. 



Mr. Byron O. Clark 5 says of this fruit in Hawaii: 



The avocado or alligator pear is the one fruit which captures the palate of the vis- 

 itor to the Tropics more firmly than any other, provided he acquires a liking for this 

 fruit. With the richness and consistency of butter, and a flavor of nuts, it is 

 undoubtedly one of the most popular fruits, if not the most popular with residents, 

 and acquires such popularity with persons who visit the islands that a good market 

 for shipment to the coast is open at any time the fruit can be had. Like almost all 

 other kinds of fruit here, the home market is not nearly supplied, and the prices are 

 so high that none but the wealthy can use them, except as a luxury. 



LITERATURE. 



Very little has been written about the propagation of the avocado. 

 It was introduced into Europe as early as the seventeenth century, but 

 has not yet been generally disseminated. Simmonds's "Tropical Agri- 

 culture" does not mention it at all. Woodrow's " Gardening in 

 India," published in 1899, does not refer to it. 



Dr. F. Franceschi c speaks of its having fruited in southern Califor- 

 nia. He also points out that the demand for it in the larger cities of 

 the United States is greater than the supply. 



In 1899 Capt. John J. Haden rf exhibited fruit of the avocado in 

 Philadelphia. 



The Botanical Register of 1829 published a colored plate of this fruit 

 (No. 1258), and referred to it as having been introduced from the con- 

 tinent [America], and as one of the rarest species cultivated in the 

 greenhouses. 



Curtis's Botanical Magazine for May 1, 1851, published a colored 

 plate of an avocado presenting rather an, unusual combination. The 



«Proc, Am. Pom. Soc, 1901, p. 92. 

 &Proc, Am. Pom. Soc, 1901, p. 88. 

 cp r oc, Am. Pom. Soc, 1897, p. 100. ~ 

 ^Proc, Am. Pom. Soc, 1899, p. 88. 



