CALIFORNIA AVOCADO ASSOCIATION 



67 



now being introduced, originating in every sense of the word right here 

 in Cahfornia. 



The avocado is a most fascinating fruit; I doubt if there is any, 

 more so. It is the most hkely of any fruit to be taken up as the study and 

 plaything of the horticulturally incHned men, who have both money and 

 brains and who are able to devote both to the originating of new kinds. 

 I think I foresee even an intense rivalry among them to see who can pro- 

 duce the best. The m^eetings of this Association or some similar associa- 

 tion will, not many years hence, be second to none in general interest, and 

 we shall have avocado days as we now have days devoted to the orange 

 and raisin, and an annual avocado fair far exceeding in interest the present 

 annual Orange Show held at San Bernardino, as the avocado surpasses 

 the orange in intrinsic merit, and it is difficult to improve on the oranges 

 we now have, but the avocado seems to be capable of indefinite develop- 

 ment. 



COMPARATIVE MERITS OF THE CALIFORNIA AVO- 

 CADO VARIETIES 



By L. B. Scott, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washing- 

 ton, D. C. 



Mr. Chairman, Members of the California Avocado Association, Ladies 

 and Gentlemen: 



I had the pleasure of meeting with you at San Diego, and certainly 

 appreciate the privilege of being here today. As one part of the sub- 

 tropical fruit project of the Office of Horticultural and Pomological In- 

 vestigations of the United States Department of Agriculture, which project 

 I have the honor of leading, we began a year and a half ago a study of 

 the comparative merits of the different Florida avocado varieties, and the 

 variations within these varieties. It seemed worth while that our Florida 

 work should be duplicated in California, and I have, during the last six 

 months, devoted considerable time to a study of the California varieties, 



A report on our Florida investigations was given at the San Diego 

 meeting, and I have been asked by your President, as well as a number 

 of the members of this Association, to present a report on our Cahfornia 

 work at this time. It must be clearly understood that the observations 

 which we have been making the last year are simply preliminary and that 

 these investigations will of necessity have to be continued for a number of 

 years before conclusive results can be published. However, as the most 

 important problem which confronts the California avocado grower is the 

 proper selection of varieties, with the understanding of the audience that 

 any remarks which I make today that now seem conclusive may be subject, 

 to revision even within a year's time, I am very glad to give a preliminary 

 report of our Cahfornia investigations. 



In my observations I have tried to assume the role of a grower and 

 not that of a nurseryman. The success of the Cahfornia avocado industry 

 will be determined entirely by the ability of the pioneer growers to agree 

 on a few standard varieties which can be developed as typical California 

 products. Just as soon as the growers, — the members of this Association, 

 — can decide on a short list of five or six varieties which will assure a 



