The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-31
THE HOME OF THE MANGO.
An American Consul I'm India Writes
About the Fruit

About the Fruit
In a communication 20 the State Depart
ment regarding the growth and develop
ment of the mango interests Of India.
William Thomas Fee the United States
Consul at Bombay. says.
India is the home of the mango. They
seem 10 grow everywhere I'm its tropical
zone. They are found wild In the iungIes
and are highly cultivated I'm gardens and
mango groves The mango Of Bombay Is
especially famous. and is one Of the most
highly priced Of Indian fruits
The genus belongs TO the caShew fam
lily, of which We have in the United States
a native representative IN the sumac. 7
believe there are some fourteen species
known; some have been completely nat
uralized in the West Indies and other
tropical countries. The most important
species is the Mangifera Indica. or
mango, the Indian native name. Of which
there are numerous yaI,,t ties.
The tree is large and spreading. with
leathe~y, lanCeolate leaves and large ter
minaI panicIes Of flowers. The fruit. like
the apple of the temperate zone, varies
greauy In size, shape, color. and flavor.
being sometimes three OF more inches
long. The largest varieties weigh two
than a goose egg. The mango is at first
green, then becomes partly red or orange
color Beneath the tough skin there is in
the better varieties a rich fieshy. delicious
pulp. in the center Of which is a large fat
stone to which the inner portion Of the
pulp Is attached by coarse fbres, some
thing after the manner Of our Clingstone
peach. The poorer varieties are smaller
in size tough and strtngy. and are not
edible. on account Of their strong flavor Of
turpentine One writer compares them 20
"a mixture Of tow and turpentine.'
The mango season commences in this
part OF India in May and June, just before
the monsoon. The Alfoos, or AlphOnso,
is claimed to be the best variety Of the
mango The finest sell in the Bombay
markets at the beginning Of the season at
4 rupees (S13W per dozen. and later drop
in price one-haIf. The other varieties cost
according to quality. some as low as 9
annas (6 cents per dozen; in fact, jun
gle mangoes may be had for even less.
but this wild kind is only eaten by the
natives
marching is the favorite system Of i'm
proving the mango by grating in Bonn
bay
The wood Of the tree. together with
sandalwoOd. is used by the Hindoos for
burning. The bark possesses aStrfngent
properties. and when cut exufes a resin
GUS and astringent gum The natives
make use Of the leaves and leaf stalks
in hardening the gum. and the undeveI-
oped fruit, ground into a paste. is claimed
70 possess vermifugal properties. The
seeds when boiled are eaten IN times Of
scarcity Of other food
Dc
in the form OF a sweetmeat. but in that
states the sweetness has displaced the
flavor. The green fruit. picked and high
ly spiced. has for some years been e1-
ported from India TO England Fresh
mangoes. for the first time. have been
exported in large numbers from Bombay
to London during the present season. It
is claimed that they not only reach their
destination in fairly good condition. but
are bringing fancy prices. being supe-
Ttor to the nIsngoes from the West In
dies The cast-on wooden boxes used by
the Standard OH Company in shipping
case oil TO India are utilized in this enter
prise. This crude beginning promises to
develop into a considerable trade
Il am shipping this week in a spe-
Cially made case with pIate-glass ton
twelve mango gratis Of nine different va
rleueS 10 az enteTpTiSiug hOTtiCulturiSt AT
West Palm Beach. Indian River Florida.
This Is the second shipment. the first be
ing made at about this time last year
but, on account Of the DELAYS attending
trans-s shipment at London and New York
the gratis were about ten weeks in reach
Ing their destination and We're all dead
on arrival. IL is hoped better success
Will follow this consignment
Almost all the fruits Of the Old World
are said 70 be improved by being trans
planted in American soil. II the Bonn
bay Alfoos mango can be- thus improved,
We shall have found a delicious fruit