CALIFORNIA AVOCADO ASSOCIATION 



83 



seven varieties which ought to be developed as standard California 

 avocado varieties and which will be the foundation in building up a 

 strong industry. I would like to see this Association devote a large 

 part of its energies to tree registry work. If every member of this 

 Association would agree to keep records of the amount and aualMV of 

 fruit produced by each tree which own.^. and copif^" ':he 



records of his best trees were forwarded to your central office, in a 

 few years' time definite and accurate information would be secured con- 

 cerning the behavior of individual trees of the different varieties. This 

 information then could be used by this Association as a basis for 

 deciding on the varieties which should be developed as typical standard 

 California products. Your Association would then be able to take 

 action similar to that of the California Grapefruit Club and officially 

 recommend a short list of standard varieties for the entire season. 



A few important factors will have to be considered in securing in- 

 dividual tree records. These are: first, tree numbering; second, individual 

 tree picking; and third, the recording of the data in some record form 

 which would be chosen by this Association. In numbering trees I know 

 of no method which gives better satisfaction than that now used in citrus 

 performance record work and that is giving the tree an individual num- 

 ber consisting of the block number, row number, and number of the 

 tree in the row. By using such a system of numbering there never 

 will be a single duplication, no matter how large the acreage. Thus 

 tree 8-4-16 \\Titten vertically on the tree trunk, thus 8 would instantly 



4 

 16 



locate that tree as being in block 8, row 4, and the 16th tree from the end 

 of the row always numbering from some fixed place. The point might be 

 raised that avocado plantings at the present time are so small that it 

 would not be necessary to include the block number. However, loking to 

 the future, when there probably will be larger solid blocks of avocados 

 planted, and in order to avoid all confusion, I believe it would be better 

 to include the block in the series number. If for any reason it should 

 not be practical to paint the numbers on the tree trunks, they could be 

 stamped on aluminum labels and the labels attached by copper wires to 

 one of the main branches. 



In securing individual avocado tree records it will be absolutely 

 essential to pick each tree separately. While occasionally persons are 

 found who believe they can estimate accurately the amount of fruit 

 produced by an individual tree, the only sure way is by actually picking 

 the tree separately and using some fixed unit in measuring the tree's 

 production. When the trees are young the actual number or weignt ot 

 the fruit produced by the individual trees could be recorded, as they 

 grow older the unit could be the picking box. 



The following charts, tables 2 and 3, show respectively the front 

 and back of the forms we are using in securing our detailed avocado 

 individual tree records. These forms are printed in convenient size, 

 4 by 6 inch notebooks. Each page is devoted to one tree's record. It 

 is possible that this form may be of value to growers in securing 



