CALIFORNIA AVOCADO ASSOCIATION 



85 



ranch before its present possessor, Mr. Sharpless. On my own property I 

 have several mature trees bearing fruit of considerable value out of this 

 lot. The second lot has resulted in trees of very promising appearance, 

 possessing characteristics quite different from their predecessors. None have 

 yet borne, but the bloom has appeared on some, so probably we will know 

 what the fruit is in a year or so. 



I should have mentioned above that the so-called Smith-Clark tree 

 of Villa Park, a variety of undoubted value is from one of Mr. Murrieta's 

 introductions. 



THE AVOCADO IN SANTO DOMINGO 



Notes by Senor Jose Ramon Lopez, Director General of the 

 Bureau of Statistics 



Avocado — Family of Lauraceous — Persea Gratissima — Guertner-Laurus 



Persea — Linneo. 



The tree is from 5 to 1 5 meters high with fairly wide branches, start- 

 ing at about two meters from the ground. 



Land 



The best soil for the avocado is the humus (mouldy), almost pure. 

 It prospers also in soil of inferior quality, but with less exuberance. 



Temperature 



The best climate in this country is the one with temperature in sum- 

 mer from 34.5 degrees to 35 degrees C, nevertheless this does not hinder 

 it from bearing in heights of 1.000 or more meters above the level of the 

 sea, and where the heat never attains more than 28 degrees and in winter 

 goes down to deg. C. 



Varieties 



Avocados are classified by the form of their leaves. There are three 

 classes in the Dominican Republic, "Oblong," "Macrophilla" and "Vul- 

 garis," but the usual way of selecting them here is by the color and size of 

 the fruit. There are purple avocados and green avocados. 



These differences in classes are also subdivided in large and small, 

 round and piniform necks. 



The smallest size in this country weighs more than a pound, the larg- 

 est exceeds three pounds and often weighs four pounds. The seedless kind 

 grown in Florida, U. S. A., has never been imported nor grown in this 

 country. 



Taste 



As a rule, the largest avocados of any form, color or class are the 

 better tasting. Besides its excellent flavor, slightly sweet, it leaves an 

 agreeable impression on the palate, such as curded milk or butter. These 

 are called Sebosos, (greasy). Others also very agreeable are very sweet. 



The kind least appreciated have a very small proportion of grease 

 and plenty of water and in color resemble wild grass. These are used for 

 nourishing pigs. 



