Bishop Purple Heart Avocados Label

This attractive avocado fruit crate label measures 10.8” Wide x 3.5” High and features a whole and half avocado on a yellow and red background with purple and green lettering. The label was designed by Western Litho Company of Los Angeles, California, and dates to the 1950s. The packer and shipper was Frank D. Bishop of La Habra, California. Frank Drake Bishop (1897 – 1976) and his family came to California at the start of the 20th Century and settled in La Habra. Frank was at the very beginning of the avocado industry and a pioneer in Orange County. He faced the challenges of no doctors, schools, or public transportation. He grew and shipped tomatoes as well as avocados.

In 1926 a postman named Rudolph G. Hass decided to try his hand at growing avocados on a 1.5 acre plot in La Habra, California, that he’d used all his savings to purchase. Hass bought several experimental seedling trees to plant. Once the trees reached a sufficient size, Hass attempted to graft different avocado varieties onto them, a common practice that speeds up fruit production. However, one tree proved resistant to grafting, so Hass planned to cut it down. But his children talked him out of it, because they liked the taste of that particular tree’s fruit.

The spared tree turned out to produce abundant fruit with great nutty taste. It resisted damage during travel, had a very long shelf life and year-round growing season. In short, Rudolph Hass was producing avocados with unique commercial advantages. In August 1935, he obtained a patent for his new avocado variety, which he named after himself, Hass.  Rudolph Hass’ patent expired in 1952, the year he died.

Today the Hass has become the “super avocado.” It accounts for 95% of the avocado production in California. The Hass “mother tree” that started it all continued producing fruit in La Habra Heights for 76 years, but she finally succumbed to root rot in 2002.

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