THE AVOCADO IN GUATEMALA. 51 
tested in Florida and California. Since, in addition to its probable 
hardiness, it is a fruit of very good quality, it can be strongly recom- 
mended for trial in the United States. 
The parent tree is growing in the patio of Jesusa v. de Carney, 
corner of Calle Cabanas and 10a Avenida Norte, Totonicapam. The 
elevation of this town is approximately 8,500 feet, perhaps a little 
higher. The situation is somewhat sheltered, since the tree stands 
in the patio of a house, close to the north wall. Since the top of the 
tree, however, extends 10 feet or more above the roof of the house, 
the protection can not be of great importance except from one point 
of view : The tree may have been effectively protected when young, 
being thus enabled to develop uninjured during the first few years of 
its growth, after which it was better able to withstand severe frosts. 
The age of the tree is said to be about 25 years; it stands 40 feet 
high, with a broadly oval, dense crown, the top of which has been 
cut out to avoid the danger of its breaking in high wind and fall- 
ing upon the tile roof of the house. The trunk is about 20 inches 
thick at the base, dividing 8 feet from the ground to form two main 
branches, which give off secondary branches at 20 feet from the 
ground. While the tree appears to be vigorous and hardy, it may 
be found somewhat difficult to propagate, as it does not make the best 
type of bud wood. The " eyes " are not plump, but somewhat slender, 
with the outer bud scales falling early, and the bud itself shows a 
tendency to fall at an early stage. The wood seems to be rather 
brittle. 
The flowering season is late April and May. The tree is quite 
productive, bearing its fruits often in clusters. It produced a good 
crop from the 1915 blooms and another good one from the 1916 
blooms. Owing to the great elevation of Totonicapam and the conse- 
quent lack of heat, the fruits are very slow in reaching maturity. 
The season of ripening is from September until the end of the year, 
but the fruits which ripen at this time are those from the previous 
year's bloom; that is, flowers which appear in May, 1918, develop 
fruits which will not be fully ripe until September or October, 1919. 
The fruit is of medium size, of attractive pyriform shape, smooth, 
and green in color. The flesh is of good quality, free from fiber, 
and the seed is comparatively small. It can be considered a fruit of 
very good quality and desirable from other points of view than that 
of its probable hardiness. 
Following is a formal description of this variety. 
Form pyriform, rather slender, and slightly necked ; size medium, weight 12 
ounces, length 4f inches, greatest breadth 3 inches ; base tapering, narrow, the 
stem inserted almost squarely without depression; stem 3^ inches long, stout; 
apex rounded, slightly depressed around the stigmatic point ; surface smooth or 
nearly so, light green and almost glossy, with numerous yellow dots; skin 
moderately thick, about one-sixteenth of an inch, woody, and brittle ; flesh deep- 
