48 



REPORT OF TTTE FIRST SE^rT-ANXUAL iAfEETIXO 



types, sometimes at two or three years from seed, and in the case of 

 budded trees, usually within two years. The Guatemalan on the 

 other hand, does not bear as a rule until about five t(^ seven years 

 old when grown from seed, and at about three or four years from 

 the time of budding. 



Specific Varieties. 



Of the Mexican type the best which are now 1)eing propagated 

 would seem to be the Ganter and Harman, green in color, and the 

 Chappelow, Northrop and Carton, all purple. These are about all 

 equally vigorous in growth, they have the same tendency to bear 

 early and prolifically, and are in a general way of the same quality. 

 The Harman and Ganter are the largest, and I would pick them as 

 the favorites but for the fact that many of the fruits develop upon 

 ripening a soft or decayed spot at the lower end, which is a severe 

 handicap when ofifered on the market. It is possible that may 

 find some method of remedying this defect. If so, these two varie- 

 ties would stand out as the best produced in California up to the 

 present time. 



Of the Guatemalan type, the consensus of present opinion 

 favors the Taft as the best variety of local origin. This is an excel- 

 lent fruit, and one which we all feel safe in planting. AMiile it may 

 maintain its lead it is being closely pushed by the Sharpless and 

 Blakeman, two unusually fine fruits. Colorado, one of the best 

 fruits produced by Mr. Murrieta, is another excellent variety, and 

 Meserve, which originated at Long Beach, is also being quite exten- 

 sively propagated. All of these have good commercial characterist- 

 ics and are well worth planting. Other Guatemalan varieties which 

 have been receiving a great deal of attention are Challenge, which 

 has produced some enormous crops and is a fruit of perfect form, 

 but with a large seed and not of the highest oil content ; AValker, 

 the most prolific of all Guatemalan varieties grown in California, 

 but rather small and with a large seed ; Lyon, a prolific and very 

 precocious variety, but not a A^ery strong grower, and seeming to be 

 rather susceptible to frost ; and Solano, one of the largest fruits 

 grown in California and very handsome, but not rich in oil. 



In another category must be placed Dickey, Royal and Mur- 

 rieta. These are all splendid fruits, but it has been found that the 

 young budded trees are exceedingly difficult to rear. After the 

 buds have taken, and perhaps made a growth of tw^o or three feet. 



