20 



1916 ANNUAL REPORT 



choice, very much interested in fruit-growing in general, a thorough botan- 

 ist and an experienced horticulturist, but all this is subservient to the 

 question — "What will the fruit which I hope to produce sell for? What 

 is it bringing in the market at present and what is it likely to sell for in 

 the future?" 



The very first avocado trees in California were doubtless planted 

 with little regard to pecuniary returns. When Mr. Harvey set out the 

 trees on what is now known as the Buddington Place, Los Angeles, and 

 the Walker Place at Hollywood, he doubtless felt that he was doing little 

 more than trying a doubtful experiment. Other trees planted at approx- 

 imately the same time in Pasadena did not prove a success because they 

 were of hot country types. With better judgment, Mr. Harvey selected 

 seeds from the uplands of Mexico, where the climate is similar to ours. 

 Among the resulting trees were the original trees of the well-known 

 varieties, Challenge, Royal and Walker's Prolific, and another tree on 

 the Buddington place which came into bearing even earlier than the three 

 above mentioned, but was not so prolific and has not been propagated as 

 a variety so far as I am aware. 



Somewhat later Mr. Murrieta planted similar Mexican seeds and from 

 them came the Murrieta varieties, of which the Murrieta, a round green 

 fruit, is of unexcelled flavor. 



About the time these trees came into bearing, Los Angeles was as- 

 suming a metropolitan aspect and metropolitan habits, and beginning to 

 show in its markets, evidence of the rapid increase of wealth and intelli- 

 gence of its people. It may be stated that Mr. Walker's tree of the 

 Prolific produced fruit which sold in Los Angeles for $400 in one year. 

 Mr. Walker did not try to advertise this, but rather the opposite, for he 

 feared that much increase in production would glut the market, and not 

 liking the fruit himself at that time he did not see how^ the taste for 

 it could be cultivated very much. Since his Challenge and Royal, much 

 better varieties have come into bearing, I fancy that he has changed his 

 opinion. 



But the news of such great prolificness and profit leaked out and 

 inquiries disclosed, that in addition to the local product there was a more 

 or less regular importation of avocados from Hawaii, Mexico and else- 

 where, which were retailed, at what then seemed, the rather startling 

 prices of $4.00 to $6.00 per dozen. 



Looking back, it seems as obvious as can be that there was a big 

 future for fruit which could bring such prices under any conditions and 

 that the worst that could happen, were very many grown, would be to 

 cheapen the product somewhat but not in proportion to the increased 

 consumption. Indeed I doubt if the price for large thick-skinned avo- 

 cados will ever be on a par with that received for other fruits. How 

 many people do you suppose in Los Angeles know this fruit even by 

 name ? One in ten, in think, would be a liberal estimate, and the num- 

 ber here is far in excess of other large cities in the United States, whose 

 markets we have yet to investigate, educate and supply. 



We are justified in expecting continued high prices if we do this 

 thoroughly. When imported avocados sell well, there is no reason why 



