CALIFORNIA AVOCADO ASSOCIATION 



93 



It should be possible to interest prominent educators in the subject, and the 

 right sort of information combined with a sample of the fruit, should make an 

 enthusiast out of the average child, for every youngster knows a good thing when 

 he sees it or tastes it. 



It would be well to commence now in the gathering together of all data, 

 including testimonials, which would be of value later in advertising the avocado. 



I have tried to give definite suggestions as to steps that should be taken 

 immediately and I would suggest that each member present make a resolution 

 tonight to think, talk, write and, last but not least, to dream avocados. 



EXCERPTS FROM A LETTER FROM S. F. MOZNETTE, 

 ENTOMOLOGIST, MIAMI, FLA. 



**I regret that it will be impossible for me to prepare a paper at this time 

 as much as I would like. This is due to the fact that I will leave shortly for 

 Cuba and the Bahama Islands to study conditions relative to the avocado and 

 mango in these localities, especially to gather information as to parasites possible 

 of introduction into Florida, to be used against the injurious pests we have here. 

 However, this letter may possibly be of some interest to the growers of the avocado 

 in California. I am in hopes that some time soon I may be able to attend one 

 of your interesting meetings which you hold in California. 



"You inquire relative to the behavior of the various avocados we have 

 here in Florida. Generally the avocado is a heavy feeder and likes plenty of 

 water for its best performance. What I really had in mind when I mentioned 

 hybrids to you was, not so much whether the particular variety would be hardy, 

 but the character of the stock. The Mexican avocado with us here has a rather 

 poor root system, and when grown under dry conditions, where the moisture is not 

 conserved by proper mulching will not do much. Perhaps with some of your 

 strains in California such as the Colorado, where the trees have not sufficiently 

 established themselves and have not developed sufficient root system for the trees* 

 proper development, the trees may be constitutionally weak. Perhaps this is the 

 cause of the spotting which develops on the fruit with this variety. The Guate- 

 malan varieties with us here develop a splendid root system with a deep tap root. 

 If these two strains could be crossed so that you get a happy medium in a 

 hybrid, which under your conditions will be resistent and especially possessing a 

 good root system capable of supplying the tree with the necessary water for proper 

 development, a cross of value might result. Under our conditions, where the 

 avocado does not obtain the proper amount of water for development, trees 

 develop a shriveling and drying of the leaves, physiological spotting of the fruit, 

 etc. 



"As stated in my previous letter, recently a number of most promising 

 hybrids have been developed at the Plant Introduction Garden here at Miami, 

 Fla., which bid fair to aid greatly in the future development of the avocado 

 industry in Florida as regards both stock and trees." 



