CALIFORNIA AVOCADO ASSOCIATION 



179 



in good condition. Direct sales at auction have not been encouraging. 

 Recently with fruit of not a bit better quality retailing at 35c to 50c each, 

 good Porto Rican avocados in sound condition brought $1.50 to $1.65 for 

 24s and 36s and a maximum of $2.25 to $2.50 for l8s. At these prices 

 the shipments were not continued. 



Closer co-operation between the shipper and salesman should m,ake 

 possible a considerable business in wild avocados from Porto Rico. 



The growing of named varieties of avocados in orchard form has only 

 recently been taken up by American fruit growers. Many of the best 

 known varieties of both hard and soft skinned types have been imported 

 and are making a vigorous growth. None are yet in bearing. The fruit 

 growers as a class are just beginning to realize the possibilities of the 

 Island as a tropical hot house located so accessable to New York and the 

 great eastern markets. 



The future of the avocado in Porto Rico is bright. The rapid and 

 still vigorous growth of the grapefruit and pineapple industries in 

 Porto Rico indicate, in a manner, what may be expected of the avocado. 

 Porto Rico's position is so peculiar, her advantages so unique, that what 

 may happen in the future is hard to guess. Can you imagine your own 

 section with plenty of labor at 50c to 70c per day, with spring weather 

 the year around, ample rainfall well distributed, no possibility of frost, 

 two and three boats per week direct to New York, and freight rates of 

 but 25c to 35c per orange box to market? Porto Rico enjoys all these 

 advantages, and more, over her compeditors for the American markets. 

 She is just beginning to realize her good fortune and to plan to prepare 

 to make the most of it. A movement is already on foot to establish a 

 tropical fruit propagation and demonstration station on the Island to 

 assist in the building of the avocado and similar industries. 



AVOCADO CULTURE IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 

 (Letter from Mr. P. J. Wester of the Bureau of Agriculture). 



Lamoa Experiment Station, Lamoa, Bataan, P. I. 



August 30, 1916. 



Dear Dr. Webber: 



Your communication of the 17th ult. is at hand and contents noted. 



Referring to your request for a paper on the avocado in the Philip- 

 pines I should indeed be pleased to comply, but the fruit is here of no 

 importance as yet, with the consequence that there is scarcely anything 

 to v^rrite about as you will note from the following statement. I shall be 

 glad to have you use the information contained therein in any manner 

 you see fit. To me it appears to be too brief and unimportant for publi- 

 cation as a separate paper. 



The date of the introduction of the avocado into the Philippines by 

 the Spaniards is not known, but it was probably accomplished at least 25 

 years prior to the American occupation, for, according to the late Mr. 

 W. S. Lyon, there was a large avocado tree growing on the Plaza in front 

 of the Delmonico Hotel, in the old walled city of Manila, that was 



