CALIFORNIA AVOCADO ASSOCIATION 



45 



constitution of the various varieties, and third, by-products. Professor 

 Jaffa and Professor Cruess have told you something of the v^ork they 

 have been doing. We have issued one bulletin, No. 254, on this subject, 

 and this is distributed free upon application. We are also conducting 

 a correspondence course, v/hich is free for the asking. If you care to 

 enroll for this course, write to the Agricultural Experiment Station in 

 Berkeley. 



It is my habit to go to San Francisco once in a v^hile and look 

 through the commercial markets. About three months ago, I was in the 

 market in San Francisco and was told they had received a shipment of 

 avocados from Tahiti that were decayed. About two or three weeks 

 later I noticed an advertisement for seeds at five cents apiece. I realized 

 then what had become of the seed from that spoiled Tahiti fruit. Probably 

 this seed was purchased by growers and used for propagation. I was in 

 the San Joaquin Valley a few weeks ago, and a nurseryman had a num- 

 ber of such seeds in a lath-house. Experience has shown that the seedlings 

 of the Tahiti fruit are very tender. They frost down like tomato vines, 

 and we believe it is not a promising thing to bud our California varieties 

 on that kind of stock. It is for this reason that we are recommending 

 the growing of the Mexican type of seed for rootstocks. 



With citrus fruits we know the best rootstocks. We don't know 

 the best stock for the avocado, but so far as present information goes, 

 we believe that seedlings of the Mexican type are the best. The Mexican 

 avocado gives the most healthy and vigorous seedlings and will impart 

 its vigor to the top. A variety budded on the Tahiti will not make as 

 good a tree as the same variety budded on a rootstock of the Mexican 

 type. 



Dr. Webber has said that the most important thing is the selection 

 of the variety which will be the best in the end. Now, I believe the 

 second most important thing is to get a tree on the right stock, a tree 

 that is sturdy and vigorous. If a bad beginning is made, the tree will be 

 practically ruined for the future, so it is well to begin right. At the 

 present time the best procedure is to get a tree budded on a good seed- 

 ling, one that is vigorous and free from diseases and infections. 



Mr. Fessler: What do you know about the seeds for planting to 

 grow budding stock? 



Prof. Condit: We know that the larger the seed is, the more vigor- 

 ous the seedling. You get a larger seedling in a short time from a large 

 seed than from a small one. Now as to the value of the stock from 

 seeds of varieties like the Challenge, etc. I have had no experience. So 

 far as I can see such seedlings would be good. 



Question: What is necessary in the way of protection from winds? 



Answer: I think it has been stated already that young trees should 

 be protected from the wind. 



Question: I mean when they begin to bear. Suppose you were 

 planting out an orchard, would it be necessary to provide windbreaks ? 



Answer: Yes, I think it would be. 



Question: What is the best cultivation? Shallow? 



Answer: Shallow around the trees. 



