78 



SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



49737 to 49742— Continued. 



appear to be good; the crop this season is about 400 fruits, well 

 distributed through the crown.. The fruits are borne singly, never 

 in clusters. 



" The fruits on the parent tree are variable in size. The largest 

 weigh about 24 ounces, the smallest not over 8 ounces. The shape 

 is fairly uniform. The relative size of the seed varies somewhat, 

 as is usual in avocado varieties. The major-domo of the tinea 

 recommends this as a very good fruit. Technically it may be 

 described as follows : 



" From broadly ovoid to nearly oval, sometimes tending to become 

 broadly pyriform ; weight 20 ounces, more or less; length 4^ inches; 

 greatest breadth 4 inches; base rounded, the stem inserted almost 

 squarely ; apex flattened or slightly depressed ; surface smooth, 

 dull green with numerous greenish yellow and russet dots; skin 

 about one-twentieth of an inch thick, woody and brittle in texture, 

 readily separating from the flesh; flesh cream yellow, pale green 

 close to the skin, with slight fiber markings, smooth in texture and 

 of rich nutty flavor ; quality very good ; seeds oblate, weighing 

 about 2 ounces ; tight in the cavity with both seed coats adhering 

 closely. Ripening season probably midseason to late, March tr 

 June at Antigua." 



49740, "(No. 293. February 16, 1920.) Avocado Xo. 40 from the 

 Finca La Chacara in Antigua. Guatemalan race. The parent tree 

 is about 25 feet high, spreading in habit, with a dense crown 

 (most of the foliage is on the outside). The crop this year is not 

 heavy, but the bearing habits of the tree are said to be good. The 

 major-domo recommends this as the finest avocado in the finca, and 

 to me it looks unusually promising because of the large size of 

 the fruit coupled with the small size of the seed and the excellent 

 quality of the flesh, 



" Following is a description of the fruit : Form oval to elliptic, 

 sometimes oblique ; weight 16 to 24 ounces ; length 4^ to 5^ inches ; 

 greatest breadth 3^ to 4 inches ; base broadly pointed, the stem in- 

 serted slightly to one side ; apex broadly pointed, somewhat flat- 

 tened on the ventral side; surface undulating to faintly pebbled, 

 moss green with numerous yellowish green dots; skin 1^ to 2 

 millimeters thick (about one-fifteenth of an inch), woody, brittle; 

 flesh cream yellow, pale green close to the skin, free from all fiber 

 discoloration, and of rich, pleasant flavor ; quality excellent ; seed 

 relatively very small, tight in the cavity, with both seed coats ad- 

 hering closely to the cotyledons. Season apparently rather late. '* 



49741. RuBus sp. Rosacese. Baspberry, 

 " (No. 287. February 16, 1920, ) A wild raspberry from the upper slopes 

 of the Yolcan de Agua (collected at about 9,000 feet), near Antigua; 

 The plants, which are found in grassy places on rich volcanic loam, send 

 up stems 4 to 6 feet long, which often bend over and root at the tips. 

 The flowers are wiiite, and the fruits, which I have seen only in an 

 Immature state, are produced in abundance. Evidently they are as large 

 as the raspberries of the north, and the Indians say they are of good 

 quality." 



