CALIFORNIA AVOCADO ASSOCIATION 



149 



The holes to receive the trees were dug somewhat larger than is gen- 

 erally the custom in digging holes for citrus trees, (See Fig. 31), thus 

 giving ample room for the roots to extend in the loose soil. The trees 

 were then carefully planted and irrigated (See Fig. 32) in the same man- 

 ner as that employed in planting citrus trees. After the trees were 

 planted we protected them from the hot sun by a covering of cheese 

 cloth supported by four stakes, (See Fig. 33). 



For the first season after planting the trees were irrigated about 

 every eight days for a period of two months and the time was gradually 

 extended between irrigations according to advice from the West India 



Gardens. The next season 

 they were irrigated as 

 often as the condition of 

 the soil required irriga- 

 tion in order to secure 

 best results in the growth 

 of the trees, or on an 

 average of about every 

 30 to 40 days during the 

 irrigating season. 



The soil has been 

 cultivated in the ordi- 

 nary manner and while 

 possibly a little more 

 care was given to the ir- 

 rigation and cultivation 

 of the avocado grove as 

 compared with the citrus 

 grove yet the trees were 

 not "nursed" or "coddled" 

 if I may use these terms. 



Last February we 

 pruned a few rows of 

 the avocado trees and en- 

 deavored to lift the 

 branches off the ground. 

 We also pruned some in March; we cannot see that it did much good 

 as the branches are all down to the ground again and while a good 

 many trees looked misshapen in the spring, this fall they have put out 

 new branches and filled up the spaces, and in discussing the question of 

 pruning with others we think that until some definite system for prun- 

 ing has been settled upon it looks as if we will be very slow to do much 

 pruning. Where we made any cut we waxed the same so that there 

 would be no chance of the branch dying back. 



Last April we noticed that the avocado trees in our section dropped 

 a large percentage of their old leaves; this was the first time that they 



Figure 32.— System of irrig-ating the aA'ocado tree 

 thoroughly. 



