CALIFORNIA AVOCADO ASSOCIATION 



45 



Different Types. 



I do not believe the people of California have yet reached an 

 understanding concerning the different types of avocados which 

 we are cultivating, and it will be well if we can get these clearly 

 established at once so that we may all use the same terms and 

 language in speaking of the types. At the present time, many 

 nurserymen are classifying avocados in their catalogues as ''thin- 

 skinned" and "thick-skinned" or "hard-shelled." This is scarcely 

 sufficient for accuracy, and I would like to point out the char- 

 acteristics of the types cultivated in California, as I have seen 

 them and as they are beginning to be generally recognized by 

 pomologists. 



Considering all the avocados which are cultivated in the United 

 States, we find them naturally falling into the following three 

 groups : 



1. The WEST INDIAN or SOUTH AMERICAN type. This 

 appears to be the most tropical in character of all the types we have 

 tested in California, and I only know of one instance in which it 

 has fruited in this state. C. P. Taft of Orange has grown a number 

 of seedlings from Cuba, two of which have borne fruit. Trees of 

 the South American type are more susceptible to frost than those 

 of the Guatemalan type, and vastly more so than the thin-skinned, 

 small fruited Mexican type. In character of foliage it is often 

 difficult to distinguish this type from the Guatemalan, but as a 

 rule the leaves are somewhat smaller here in California, are 

 crowded more closely together on the branches, and the wood is 

 of lighter color. The foliage, too, is usually of a lighter shade of 

 green. The fruits of this type vary in form as do those of the 

 others, being pear-shaped, oval or round. In color they are usually 

 yellowish green or maroon. The skin is leathery, and separates 

 readily from the flesh, but it is not so thick nor so woody as in 

 the Guatemalan type. The flesh is often rather watery in seed- 

 lings, and not so richly flavored as in the Guatemalan type, but 

 in some of the best varieties the cjuality is good. There is one 

 defect which is not usually found in the. Guatemalan type, i. e., the 

 seed is large and often loose in the cavity. It appears at the pres- 

 ent time as though this type would not become of any importance 

 in California. It is the principal one cultivated in Florida, the 

 well-known varieties, Trapp and Pollock being representatives of 



