72 



ANNUAL REPORT 1920 AND 1921 



The first shipment proved to be very satisfactory to the eastern dealer and 

 they urged us to ship a much larger quantity. In February we were able ta 

 get Lyons, Colorados cind Spinks fruit. During the first part of March Dickeys 

 were sent. The latter part of March more Spinks, some Challenge and Verde 

 avocados were shipped. Fruit was secured from districts which are known to be 

 in an advanced state of maturity and we were sure that they would give perfect 

 satisfaction. 



Up to the present time we have received nothing but praise for all the fruits 

 that we have sent. The only objection was to the small amount shipped. This 

 was the result of lack of time to devote to the shipping. 



I have been asked to state what success was had with the different varieties 

 as to shipping qualities. The Fuerte was good until the first of March. The 

 Lyon, Challenge, Spinks, Colorado, Dickey have been continuously good. The 

 Verde proved to be a poor shipper. 



The container found to be the most satisfactory was the lug box holding 

 two layers of fruit packed with excelsior below, between layers and on top; 

 although some of the fruit which was packed in orange boxes arrived in good con- 

 dition, others did not carry as well. None of the fruits were wrapped. 



At this point I would like to read some of the comments that were received 

 from eastern buyers. January 24, after receiving the first shipment of Fuerte 

 fruit, they wrote as follows: 



**This variety of fruit is an exceptionally good one and we can tell that 

 the fruit is in its early stages and shall expect an improvement in size as the 

 season goes on. It will be very important to receive only fruit whose cutting 

 quality is first-class." 



February 18 they state, "there is a ready sale here for your California 

 avocados and they have given the best of satisfaction. Continue to ship fruit 

 that will ripen promptly." 



A letter received a few days ago states as follows: "Our experience with 

 California avocados this season has been much more satisfactory than we had 

 anticipated. It proved itself much finer than anything we had expected to sec 

 In fact, this last shipment was a most agreeable surprise and makes our beHef 

 firm that California avocados will be sold on this market whenever prices will 

 warrant bringing them here. We are at present receiving avocados from foreign 

 ports, but your product is by far the best and commands a much better price. 

 Apparently all varieties which you have shipped us have given perfect satis- 

 faction. Still, the Fuerte, in our opinion, is the best early fruit and should be 

 followed by Lyon, Challenge and Spinks as you have done this season. Our 

 advice to the grower is simply to ask them to look upon avocados as a commercial 

 proposition which must be brought to the ^attention of the public at popular 

 prices in order to increeise the consumption. The trouble with this business 

 from what we have been made to understand has been that most growers when 

 looking over their groves can see nothing but dollar bills hanging on the trees 

 instead of fruit, and just as soon as they get this idea out of their minds and agree 

 upon the fact that people have stopped squandering, many of them will find that 

 this can be made a very profitable business for everyone concerned." 



My experience for the past four months has firmly convinced me that there 

 is a good market for California avocados in the middle and eastern cities at the 

 rate of 700 to 1 ,000 fruits a week. Up to the present time the methods of 

 marketing California fruits have been as follows: 



