CALIFORNIA AVOCADO ASSOCIATION 



101 



gations lead me to believe we must choose between two and three, yet 

 I am not willing to pass final judgment until the trees become older and 

 carry a full crop of fruit. 



Irrigation and Fertilization of Fruiting Trees. 



Records have so far shown that the avocado requires irrigation 

 every two weeks until it is three years of age under average condi- 

 tions, when the root system has become large enough to carry the tree 

 in good growing condition on the usual monthly irrigation basis. The older 

 fruiting trees appear to be producing satisfactorily under citrus irrigation 

 methods. 



Fertilization, as related to budded trees, is a question of the future, 

 but I feel sure the avocado will respond well to a liberal supply. 



Variation in Bloom. 



As in nearly all fruit trees, we have a marked variation in bloom 

 in the avocado; some produce a large amount the very first season, others 

 will grow for several years without showing a single blossom, and still 

 others will gradually increase from a small showing to a sufficient 

 amount to produce a normal crop of fruit. The last condition is by far 

 the most desirable, as the strength of the tree is not affected nor do 

 we have the trouble of thinning our fruit. Some varieties have bloomed 

 so abundantly that the entire foliage has been caused to drop — namely, 

 the Walker and the Lyon. Certainly this draws heavily upon the re- 

 serve energy. Perhaps this can be controlled to some extent by pruning, 

 although I have not heard of any experiments along this line. It ap- 

 pears to me, especially in the thick-skinned varieties, that trees which 

 bloom moderately are showing the largest and most vigorous growth. 



Fruit Setting. 



It is not unnatural that we should be anxious to see our trees come 

 into bearing, or wonder why they do not set fruit after blooming and 

 why the fruit drops after having started to develop. In most cases 

 this is the way Nature protects the young trees. We must allow the 

 stock to become mature before it bears any great quantity of fruit. In 

 fact, I believe varieties which scarcely bloom at all until three years of 

 age, will in the end become our largest and most consistent pro- 

 ducers. 



The beautiful experimental orchard of Mr. Joseph Sexton at Goleta 

 will prove of great interest to any avocado grower who finds time to 

 visit it. The trees are from one to five years of age, and this season 

 eighteen varieties have set fruit, which is a wonderful example of the 

 avocado's adaptability to the Santa Barbara district. 



At Monrovia, we have another fine grove which shows the con- 

 stant and careful attention of one of our members, Mr. Thomas H. 

 Shedden. This grove is but two and a half years of age, yet Mr. Shed- 

 den has an exhibit at this meeting of twelve varieties of fruit and sev- 

 eral more are bearing, which have not reached sufficient maturity to 

 display. 



Mr. J. T. Whedon has a five acre planting at Yorba Linda, which 

 contains a remarkable showing of the Fuerte, an imported variety, and 



