The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1881-06-08
The MangOStan.


exouisite in flavor as well as exceed
ingly healthtul and invigorating to tn
system; and particularly agreeabI
to persons suffering from sickness Q
debility of any kind.
According to Rumphus, the Mar
oostan is invariably acknowledged t.
Ro the best and most wholesome trul
crown in India. With juicy whit
and almost transparent flesh, with
delicate and agreeable flavor as o
the richest grapes. The taste an(
smell being SO agreeable, that 1t i
scarcely possible to be cloyed VIII
eating It. The same authority, also
states, that it is given with safety II
almost every disorder, and when slcA
neople have no relish tor any otnel
food. they generally eat this with
great delight, and should they reluse
It their case is considered hopeless
bv the Indian doctors.
Solander also states in his interest
inc "reminiscences Of Batavia that at
one time while he was selzea WIN
putrid fever, and his friends mad
wholly despaired OF his recovery oy
the adj vice of a native doctor be was
supplied with the Mangostan ana
recovered his health simply by suck,
ing, then eating this delicious ana
refreshing fruit.
According to Garcin, the Manages
tan grows the best in the Molucca
islands, but has been transplanted to
the island OF Java and Malacca
where it thrives well. Linn@us de-
scribes this tree in his Genera Plan
tarum and calls it Garcinia, in honor
of DR.. Garcin, who first made Its
virtues prominently known in Eu-
rope. The characters, according TO
Linneus "Dod ecandrla Monogynla
No. 5O4," calyx consist Of tour thick,
roundish, hollow, expanded leaves.
The corolla has four coDcave, round
ish petals lying open, something
larger than those of the calyx. The
stamina consists OF sixteen filaments
which are unconnected, distinct,
erect and placed in the form OF a
cylinder, and are shorter than the
calyx, their SUBMITS are roundlsa'
The pistil consists OF the embryo
seed vessel, or ovary, which is nearly
egg shaped this supports the style
which is very short, and is covered
with a fiat spreading round top like
a target, that remains after the flow
ers. This top is divided into eight
bluntrays. The fruit is large
tough coated, globula berry,with one
cavity, and is covered with the radi-
ant Aat top of the style. The seed
are from five to eight in number,
tieshy and surrounded with small
fibers one side Of the seed Is convex,
the other angular.
Garcin describes the tree as toll
lows: The Mangostan tree grows
10 the height of seventeen or eigh-
teen feet, with straight taper stem
having a regular tuft in the form OF
an oblong cane, composed OF many
branches apd twigs spreading out
equally on all sides without leaving
any hollow. Its leaves are oblong
;,oiuted at both ends, entirely smooth
OF a shining green on the upper side
and of an olive on the back. IT.
flowers are composed Of four petals
almost round, or a little pointed
their color resembles that Of rec
rose only deeper and less lively. Th'
calyx of this flower is OF one plec'
EXPANDED and cut into four lobes
The two upper lobes are somethin!
larger than the lower ones, they ar
greenish on the outside, and OF
fine deep red within the real OF TIL
MINER one is more lively than that o
the lower ones. This calyx enclose:
all parts OF the flower, it is supported
bv a pedicle which is green, and con
stantly comes out OF the end OF
twig above the last pair OF leaves"
The fruit of this tree is round, Q
the size of small orange, from a
inch and a half to two inches in d
ameter. The body of this fruit is
capsula of one cavity, composed Q
a thick rind, little like that OF
pomegranate, but softer, thicker an
more filled with juice, its thickness
usually quarter OF an inch, ills quite
color is OF dark brown purple
mixed with a little gray or dar
Green. The inside Of the peel is G
= rose color, and It's juice is pnrpl'
The skin is OF somewhat astrlnGer
taste like a pomegranate, and doc
not stick to the fruit. The inside {
the fruit is turrowed globe divide
into sepments, much like those OF a
INV - - ..,l ia si1o which Al