THE AVOCADO IN GUATEMALA. 25 
'Flesh. — There is a great deal of difference in the color and texture 
of the flesh among Guatemalan avocados. Assuming that fully ripe 
specimens are being considered (immature ones are very common in 
the markets during a certain portion of the year), it will be found 
that in some the flesh is a pale cream color, in others a deep-cream 
color, while in a very few it is of a rich, bright yellow, almost identi- 
cal with that of creamery butter. In a general way, the color of the 
flesh indicates the flavor, for pale cream-colored varieties are nearly 
always lacking in richness. They may have, however, a peculiar 
nuttiness which is very agreeable. 
It was noted that a few varieties which possessed deep-yellow flesh 
and promised at first glance to be of rich flavor had a pronounced 
bitter taste which disqualified them for market use. These varieties 
could be distinguished, it was found, by a peculiar translucence of 
the flesh, a character which is not possessed by most avocados. 
The very best varieties seen in Guatemala have flesh of deep cream- 
yellow or yellow color, quite opaque, firm, and when fully ripe cutting 
like soft cheese. The texture is dry, fine grained, and oily. 
The remnants of the vascular system, which persist in many avo- 
cados in the form of fine, stringlike fibers running through the flesh 
from the stem of the fruit to the base of the seed, are rarely found 
in Guatemalan avocados. The position of these fibers can fre- 
quently be traced by slight discolorations in the flesh, but the presence 
of stringy fibers, which are often noticeable in the other races, espe- 
cially in the Mexican, was not noted in Guatemala among fruits of the 
Guatemalan race. Many varieties were found in which there was 
not even the slightest discoloration of the flesh. Those in which there 
is a slight discoloration are just as good for eating, but they are not 
equal in appearance to those with perfectly clear flesh; hence, they 
are ]ess valuable commercially. 
The percentage of Guatemalan avocados which have deep -yellow 
flesh free from all discoloration is small. Many have cream-colored 
flesh, often somewhat watery in texture. This is correlated with poor 
flavor and quality. No variety with pale, watery flesh has been found 
to be of excellent quality. 
Flavor and quality. — These two closely related characters must be 
considered the most important of all, since an avocado of poor quality 
is undesirable, no matter how attractive its appearance may be. For- 
tunately, the best of the Guatemalan avocados not only present an 
attractive exterior but are nowhere excelled in texture and flavor of 
flesh. 
The subtle differences which distinguish the flavor of many vari- 
eties are impossible of description. Inferior varieties, of which there 
are many, lack richness and may even have a rank or bitter flavor 
which is disagreeable. They may be watery and sweetish, especially 
