Edible Products. 



416 



[May, 1912. 



been experienced^ North Queensland ; 

 and, scientifically evaporated and packed 

 in substantial barrels, the commodity- 

 would keep well, and also very prob- 

 ably be rapidly popularised in those 

 portions of the Commonwealth where 

 the pleasure of a really luscious mango 

 of good quality can seldom, if ever, 

 be experienced and enjoyed. 



THE PROPAGATION OF THE 

 AVOCADO. 



By P, J. Wester, Horticulturist. 



(Prom the Philippine Agricultural Re- 

 view, Vol. IV., No. II., November, 1911.) 



The fact that the avocado (Persea 

 gratissima) will thrive and fruit in the 

 Philippines is now being established 

 beyond doubt, as trees introduced in 

 1903 by the Bureau of Agriculture are 

 this year bearing their second crop. A 

 short exposition of the experience 

 gained in the propagation of this fruit 

 by the writer during seven years' study 

 of tropical fruits in south Florida may, 

 therefore, be of timely interest. The 

 method described has been used repeat- 

 edly on a large scale by the writer, as 

 well as by ethers with uniformly good 

 results. 



The seed of the avocado is very suscep- 

 tible to injury from fungi, and loses its 

 viability very rapidly by being exposed 

 to the air, and it should, on that account, 

 be planted as early as possible after it is 

 taken from the fruit. Where delay is 

 unavoidable, the seeds should be covered 

 by moderately moist soil. Seeds treated 

 in tnis way can, however, be left for a 

 short time only, as germination in most 

 cases starts very early, much more so 

 than in the seed of the mango. 



There are two methods of propagating 

 the young plants : (a) To grow and bud 

 the stock in pots or boxes, and (6) to 

 plant the seed in the nursery, bud the 

 stock there, and afterwards take up the 

 budded plants, transplant them to boxes 

 or pots, and grow them in a plant shed 

 until they are large enough to set out in 

 the field. The direct transfer of plants 



from the nursery to the field has never 

 been done on an extensive scale, as far 

 as the writer is aware. In Florida, 

 where on account of the sandy character 

 of the soil this does not adhere well to 

 the roots, the avocado transplants 

 with more difficulty than citrus trees, 

 but it is quite probable that in loamy 

 and clayey soil where the plant can be 

 taken up with a ball of earth around 

 the roots, it could be moved without 

 serious trouble. 



If the plants are to be grown in pots 

 or boxes the seed should be planted in 

 pots 15 centimeters in diameter, or boxes 

 12 to 15 centimeters in width and 25 

 centimeters in depth. The bottom of 

 the pot or box should be covered with 

 broken potsherds, coal ashes, small 

 stones, or gravel to provide proper drain- 

 age, and the seed should be about 15 to 20 

 millimeters with soil. Sandy loam, rich 

 in humus, is good potting soil. After 

 planting the seed, the pots should be 

 plunged in a frame in a plant shed giving 

 about half shade, and should be covered 

 with a thin layer of straw or leaves to 

 prevent evaporation and washing out of 

 the soil by the usually heavy fall rains. 

 The watering required is usually, at this 

 stage, very slight, but the pots should 

 be looked after frequently to see that 

 the soil does not dry out, nor, on the 

 other hand, should the soil be kept wet 

 and soggy by excessive watering. In 

 two or three weeks after planting the 

 first plants begin to appear above 

 ground, and as they reach a height of 

 15 to 25 centimeters, they are shifted to 

 another frame and given more room. 

 Sturdy plants are obtained only by 

 giving them plenty of room, other con- 

 ditions being favourable. As soon as 

 the plants in pots are about 25 to 30 

 centimeters high, they are shifted to a 

 larger .sized pot, are 17'5 to 20 centi- 

 meters in diameter, and may be budded 

 as soon as they have attained the thick- 

 ness of a lead pencil. The plants should 

 remain in the boxes until they are 

 planted out. If the plants are grown in 

 pots or boxes, a plant shed should be 

 constructed so as to give half shade to 

 shelter the plants from wind and sun. 



