all members of the Association and to a limited number of public libraries 

 and scientific institutions. A considerable number of copies have also been 

 sold to parties not members of the Association. These were at first sold 

 for 35 cents per copy, but later following the instructions of the board 

 of directors the price was raised to $1.00 per copy. A number of copies 

 still remain on hand for sale and can be had by writing to the general 

 office of the Association. 



The reports of the second and third semi-annual meetings are pub- 

 lished herewith as the annual report for the year 1916. This report will 

 be mailed to all members of the Association, and copies will be mailed on 

 application and the payment of $1.00 per copy. 



Membership. — The membership of the Association at present is 141. 

 This is by no means as many members as the Association should have. 

 The advancement of the industry must come through co-operation, and 

 all growers of California interested in the avocado should become mem- 

 bers of the Association. The interest in the industry in California is 

 certain to center around the Association, and the Association will un- 

 doubtedly have greater influence than any other agency in advancing 

 the industry. It thus becomes the duty of every grower to join the Asso- 

 ciation and assist in the great work before us. The support of the Asso- 

 ciation is entirely derived from the membership dues, and without a large 

 membership, funds will be available for only a limited extension of the 

 legitimate work of the Association. 



At the present time the collection, publication, and dissemination of 

 data regarding the growing of the fruit, is the main work of the Asso- 

 ciation. The avocado plantings, recently increased very greatly, are near- 

 ing productive age, and soon the industry will be confronted with the 

 problem of marketing many hundred times the quantity of fruit now 

 marketed. To dispose successfully of the increasing quantities of fruit 

 means that a campaign of advertising must be carried on, and the Asso- 

 ciation is the only organized agency having this as one of its main func- 

 tions. This purpose, however, cannot be carried out effectively without 

 the aid of all interested growers. If growers neglect to join this Asso- 

 ciation, waiting until necessity forces co-operation, the industry will suffer 

 severely for a period. Every grower expecting to have avocado fruit to 

 market cannot afford not to join the Association. All must co-operate in 

 pushing forward the objects of the Association. The present membership 

 gives only sufficient funds to provide for the meetings and publication of 

 the annual reports. A campaign should be organized to increase the 

 membership next year to 500 at the least estimate, in order to provide 

 funds to begin a systematic campaign of education in the great market 

 centers. If all cities in the United States, of equivalent size to Los An- 

 geles, were equally well educated in the use of the avocado, the present 

 prices for the fruit probably would be maintained for a number of years. 



H. J. WEBBER, 

 President California Avocado Association. 



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