1911 Pomona Journal of Economic Botany, Vol. I, No. 1, February. 



The Avocado in Southern CaHfornia 



BY 1?. W. POPENOE 

 PASADENA, CALIFORNIA 



That the avocado will succeed in Southern California has been proved 

 conclusively by the seedlings planted fifteen to twenty-five years ago which 

 are now bearing, and by more recent experiments with budded trees ; and the 

 establishment of an avocado industry in the immediate future is assured. 

 As to whether we shall proceed at once to the production of the bee^t 

 fruits or whether the loss of much money and time with the incident 

 disappointment to all concerned shall be caused b)' the planting of in- 

 ferior varieties is the vital question at this moment. It is to the solution 

 of this problem that the earnest endeavor and careful efforts of all our nursery- 

 men should be directed, and it is in the hope that some help may be given 

 in eliminating wasteful efforts that this article is written. 



For centuries the avocado has been grown in Mexico and other tropical 

 countries, propagated only by seed. Like other fruit trees grown from seed, 

 it comes true in but a very small percentage of cases. This has led to 

 the existence of a wide range of varieties. All avocados so far fruited in 

 California are these mere chance seedlings, most of them of indifferent value 

 and not worth propagation on an extensive scale. There are many varieties 

 of good size and flavor, fruiting in Mexico and other parts of the tropics, 

 which will doubtless succeed here as well as the smaller and inferior ones. 

 Some of these Mexican varieties are of such superior quality as to leave 

 nothing to be desired. 



It is therefore manifestly the part of wisdom for California planters of 

 this fruit to proceed with intelligence and accept nothing but the best. At- 

 tracted by prospective large returns some investments of a doubtful character 

 are already being made. There is really no excuse for this. 



Investigation and care will lead anyone in the right path. There will 

 be no demand for seedling or inferior fruits once a superior avocado is 

 to be found plentifully in our markets. Nor need there be delay or groping 

 in the dark for these superior varieties. At our very door lies a boundless 

 experimental garden in which for centuries the avocado has been grown, 

 where countless varieties have originated, and where now are growing hun- 

 dreds of thousands of trees from among which we have only to select the best. 



By taking advantage of this opportunity California can obtain in a com- 

 paratively short time the choicest varieties, which it would take years of 

 time and a large expenditure of money to produce by the ordinary methods 

 of plant breeding, carried on here. 



The results presented in this preliminary paper on this subject have been 

 worked up in the ?)iological Laboratory of Pomona College, and acknowledg- 

 ments are here made for the facilities placed at my disposal there and tiio 

 constant and kindly assistance extended to me. 



