90 



REPORT OF THE FIRST SEMI-ANNUAL MEETING 



if it were Avatered once a week it could not be walked on. He said 

 his soil had been analyzed as clay loam the first foot, and the next 

 five feet sandy clay, and that once a month would be ample irriga- 

 tion for it. 



A tree planted in his laAvn and watered every morning with an 

 automatic sprinkler was said to be the best tree its owner has. 



FROST RESISTANCE 



The question was asked whether it Avas safe to plant thick- 

 skinned trees Avhere lemons do ''pretty Avell," where frost can be 

 expected at about four-year intervals. 



Dr. Coit, acting as chairman, thought it would require a very 

 fine degree of judgment to ansAver the question satisfactorily, if 

 such an answer could be giA^en at all. The question Avas referred 

 to Mr. Taft, Avho answered that either type — the thick or the thin- 

 skinned, might be planted, but that there is a great variation in he 

 frost resistance of the different A^arieties. It is his judgment that 

 the Taft will stand as much as any thick-skinned fruit, but not as 

 much as some of the thin skins. Planting in such a locality, Mr. 

 Taft said he would protect his trees for four or five years and then 

 let them look out for themseh^es, just as he Avould Avith lemons, 

 and he believes they would stand it as Avell as the lemons. 



Mr. Whedon told of two seedling trees that he purchased in 

 1912, both Mexican A'-arieties, one black and one green, the latter 

 said to be A^ery fine fruit. This Avas protected until it Avas four or 

 five feet high, and Avlien he last saAv it, it Avas groAving nicely. The 

 black A^ariety he did not protect, and the first heavy frost of 1913 

 killed it. 



Regarding the frost resistance of the hard shells, Mr. Knight 

 stated that he had seen them groAving tAVo thousand feet aboA'e the 

 eleA^ations Avhere the hardiest thin-skinned aA^ocado groAvs. 



Mr. Hart resumed the chair and called attention to the fact 

 that the Alexandria Hotel had furnished the rooms Avith all the 

 beautiful fittings for the present meeting, that they had brought 

 up the displays and had assisted in CA^ery Avay, giA'ing exceptional 

 assistance in the preparation of the samples of avocado, and all 

 entirely Avithout cost to the association. He said he Avould enter- 

 tain a motion showing appreciation to the management of the hotel. 



