B. P. I.— 100. Pom. I.— 24. 



THE AVOCADO IN FLORIDA; ITS PROPAGATION, CULTIVATION, 



AND MARKETING. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The avocado {Persea gratissima Gartn.) might almost he called a 

 new fruit, for, while it has long been used as a food by the American 

 aborigines, it has never been subjected to cultivation and careful 

 breeding. Its value as a food is rapidly becoming known, and it is 

 apparently only a question of time until it will be used extensively. 

 Its shipping qualities permit it to be sent to all the large consuming 

 centers of the United States, while its food value will make it a favorite 

 with all lovers of good salad fruits. These pages have been prepared 

 with a view to*systematizing our knowledge of the avocado, and to 

 point out the directions for its improvement. 



South Florida seems to be the only region in which the propagation 

 of the avocado has been undertaken in a systematic way and on an 

 extensive scale. Nurseries in that section have thousands of seedlings 

 growing and hundreds of budded trees to put on the market. In 

 addition to this, it seems to be the only region where budded trees 

 have fruited. 



The Pollock avocado, grown in South Florida, was exhibited at the 

 meeting of the American Pomological Society in September, 1903. 

 The original tree bears fruit of large size, the largest having approxi- 

 mated 3 pounds in weight. The Trapp avocado, also grown in South 

 Florida, is noteworthy in that it matures late, holding some of its 

 fruit until January. 



The essential work of selecting and breeding varieties that are espe- 

 cially adapted to certain sections and that are wanted by the most 

 desirable markets can now be pushed forward. 



The fact that it can now be definitely stated that seedlings do not 

 come true to seed and that propagation by budding is possible marks 

 a distinct epoch in the progress of growing this fruit. Another dis- 

 tinct advance in the development of this salad fruit is that seedless 

 fruit has been grown by the writer. 



The selling price of avocados varies considerably, the latest ripening 

 ones bringing much the best prices in American markets. Extremely 



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