Edible Products. 



148 



is another obstacle in the way of making the shipping profitable. This can 

 probably be lengthened to a considerable extent by the introduction of new 

 varieties and the proper selection of the localities where the fruit is grown. 

 Shipments made from Porto Rico would, however, fare much better if they 

 could be supplemented by shipments from other countries in which the fruit 

 ripens at a different season. Porto Rico, Mexico, Central America, Hawaii, Florida 

 and California can probably supply the United States with avocados throughout 

 the entire year. By placing the fruit in cold storage it would doubtless reach 

 New York in a saleable condition. This would be, however, a continuous expense, 

 even if it were found that the fruit was uninjured, and a variety that will 

 ship at ordinary temperatures would have decided advantages. That such varieties 

 exist is demonstrated by the successful shipment of Cuban fruit. It is further- 

 more believed that the thick-skinned varieties of Guatemala will pi'ove even 

 better keepers than those of Cuba. In establishing the industry in Porto Rico 

 the first step is, consequently, the introduction of better shipping varieties. 



THE AVOCADO IN HAWAII. 



Very fine avocados are grown in the Hawaiian Islands, particularly on 

 Oahu. in the vicinity of Honolulu. The chief difficulty here is the danger from 

 high winds, confining the industry to sheltered localities. Prices in Hawaii are 

 low in comparison with most regions where the fruit is grown, and San Francisco 

 affords a ready market. On page 151 (T.A.) is a short account of an experimental 

 shipment in cold storage, showing that by this means the fruit can be shipped 

 not only to San Francisco, but to points as distant as New York. 



THE AVOCADO IN FLORIDA. 

 The culture and propagation of the avocado have recently received greater 

 attention in Florida than in any other locality. A special bulletin on the subject 

 by Mr. P. H. Rolfs, pathologist in charge of the Subtropical Laboratory at Miami, 

 gives the status of the culture in that region, together with directions for 

 cultivation, asexual methods of propagation, descriptions of forms, etc. In spite 

 of the fact that nearly all of the avocados north of the southern end of Merritts 

 Island were killed to the ground by the freeze of 1894-95, showing the avocado 

 to be no more hardy than the mango, planters have been by no means dis- 

 couraged. Orchards of considerable size exist and the asexual propagation of the 

 better forms is being rapidly pushed. There seem, however, to be but two, or 

 possibly three, well-marked types in Florida, and the chances of securing desir- 

 able varieties for asexual propagation might be greatly increased by the intro- 

 duction of some of the better forms from Central and South America. In Florida 

 the shipping quality of the fruit is not of such prime importance as in Porto Rico, 

 and consequently the choice of varieties should differ in the tw r o localities. 



THE AVOCADO IN CALIFORNIA. 



The growing of avocados in California is at present restricted to the 

 very limited frost-free areas. In many localities where the frosts are very light 

 they will do little or no damage did they not occur at the time of blossoming, 

 thus destroying the crop. A slightly later flowering variety would avoid this 

 and considerably extend the range of culture. There is a good local market 

 for avocados in California, prices being fully as high and the fruit as popular 

 in San Francisco as in the eastern cities. 



HEARING AGE AND LIFE OF THE TREE. 



In favourable localities avocado trees will come into bearing about the 

 fourth year from the seed. In more temperate regions, like Southern Europe, 

 it requires six or seven years. Budded or grafted trees should come into bearing 

 somewhat earlier. If the tree makes a good growth, the yield should continue 

 to increase until the tenth or twelfth year. 



