Edible Products, 



316 



[October, 1911. 



cut clear oft'. When the bud has 

 started into growth the top is cut back 

 to a level with the bud. The sap 

 must be flowing freely at the time of 

 budding to insure success. 



C, P. Taft of Orange has probably had 

 more experience in growing and budding 

 the avocado than any other person in 

 California. He says : l< I am inclined to 

 regard the months of October and 

 November as the best for budding, 

 though I think there is a short period in 

 the spring when considerable success 

 can be had. The buds I put in my three- 

 year-old orchard last fall have done well 

 and are making a fine growth. About 

 25 % of the buds on stocks in cans 

 succeeded. Those put in during the 

 warm summer mcnths were an almost 

 total failure." 



In April, 1909, D. W. Coolidge of 

 Pasadena budded about 150 two year-old 

 seedlings growing in the open ground at 

 Hollywood. The buds were taken from 

 well-matured wood of the previous year's 

 growth, and waxed cloth was used for 

 wrapping. Fully 90 % of these buds took, 

 but quite a number dropped their buds, 

 after having taken. However, fully 75 % 

 of the buds inserted developed into 

 trees. Mr, Coolidge has made several 

 attempts to bud stock grown in cans, 

 but with no success, probably because 

 trees thus grown are not sufficiently 

 vigorous. 



William Chappelow of Monrovia, owner 

 of the original chappelow tree, states 

 that he proceeds exactly as in budding 

 citrus fruits, and has budded at all 

 seasons of the year with about equal 

 success. 



Large avocado trees which are unpro- 

 ductive should be cut back and budded 

 over to some good variety. The method 

 is simple, and as described has been 

 practised very successfully by Mr. 

 Harnian. The large limbs are all cut 

 back close to the trunk, and the cut 

 ends covered with white lead to prevent 

 bleeding. In a short time numerous 

 sprouts will make their appearance; all 

 of these should be cut off, but three or 

 four of the most promising selected on 

 different sides of the tree so as to form 

 a good head. In a short time they will 

 be large enough to bud, and should be 

 budded in the same way as small seed- 

 lings. The wraps must be loosened every 

 four or five days, as the sprouts make a 

 very rapid growth. After the buds 

 have made a growth of several inches 

 the stocks may be cut back and the buds 

 allowed to develop into the new tree. 

 In two years' time a good-sized head will 

 be obtained. 



The best material for budding tape 

 is cheap cotton cloth which will tear 

 easily. The method of preparing it is 

 described by Mr. Wester as follows :— 

 "Rip up the cloth in strips of desired 

 widths, say six inches, and roll these 

 tightly on stout iron wive as long as the 

 width of the strips. Several strips may 

 be rolled on until the roll is one inch 

 in diameter ; tie a string around the roll 

 at each end to prevent unrolling while 

 being boiled in the wax. A good wax 

 is made by boiling together two pounds 

 bees wax, two pounds rosin, and half a 

 pound of good lard ; when in boiling 

 state put in the rolls of cloth and let 

 them remain for fifteen minutes, when 

 they are taken out and cooled before 

 being stored away. The iron wire is 

 more desirable than sticks of wood, as 

 the weight of the wire will keep the 

 roll below the surface of the boiling 

 mass. Another advantage in using the 

 wire is, that if the sticks are not quite 

 dry, the water, as it is converted into 

 steam, will cause the contents to boil 

 over." 



Inarching has never been practised in 

 California, but J. L. Hickson, of Miami, 

 Florida, a large and successful grower 

 of the avocado, states that he propagates 

 entirely by this method, as he considers 

 it produces a stronger and better growth 

 than budding. However this may be, 

 the method is slow and laborious, and 

 trees cannot be produced in sufficient 

 quantities to make it commercially 

 practicable here. 



Grafting has been performed success- 

 fully in a few instances, but has not 

 been attempted to any great extent as 

 yet. 



Cuttings have been very successfully 

 rooted by being placed in clear sand in 

 a lath house, but it is doubtful if thi9 

 method of propagation produces as 

 strong a plant as the others. 



Orchard Plantings. 



It is only within the last year or two 

 that orchard plantings of the avocado 

 have been made in Southern California, 

 and then only in very small acreages, 

 but the next few years will see the terri- 

 tory devoted to the culture of this fruit 

 on a commercial scale greatly increased. 



The trees may be planted at the same 

 distance apart as orange trees, or if 

 space is available at a somewhat greater 

 distance. Budding seems to dwarf the 

 tree, and budded trees will require 

 much less room than seedlings. In either 

 event the trees should not be allowed 

 to grow to an unlimited size, but should 

 be pruned like deciduous fruits, allow- 

 ing only the strongest branches to 



