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Pomona College: Journal of Economic Botany 



that the Mexican varieties are caught, but as the crop is practically certain 

 to be lost, if a very heavy frost occurs during the blooming season, the 

 only safe way will be to plant late blooming varieties. 



The tree requires about the same irrigation as the orange. Insufficient 

 irrigation will result in small fruit. 



In selecting varieties for planting on a commercial scale, there are a 

 number of points which should be kept in mind. Fruits which ripen during 

 midwinter will command the highest prices in the markets, and there will 

 probably be the greatest demand for avocados at this season of the year. As 



Figure 5. At left a Mexican seedling Avocado, eighteen mcnths ironi seed; at ri£ht 

 a budded tree of the South American type, three years fro.n the 

 bud and grown in California. 



to size of fruit, there is no advantage in having the very largest. While a 

 two pound avocado is a regal fruit, for practical purposes one of half that 

 size is better. Quality should be one of the most important factors in choosmg 

 a commercial fruit, and other desirable points are prolificness, a smooth, thick 

 and leathery skin which will stand shipment, good keeping qualities, and a 

 small seed, completely filling the cavity, as a loose seed pounds the walls in 

 transit, causing early decay. We must, however, have still smaller varieties 

 for cheaper trade, and summer varieties for local consumption, and we 

 already have a good assortment of varieties to choose from for these purposes. 



