202 KATUtiAL HIST02Y. 



decay and decomposition, but I doubt whether will ever hasten ripe n- 

 ing or help it. I think it deteriorates the fruit. Cape pears may find 

 a market in Covent Garden, and so would Bombay mangoes with 

 a brisk journey of nineteen days across the continent if carefully 

 packed and looked after constantly during the Red Sea voyage and 

 continental journey. But in my opinion there would always be 

 a difference between a fresh mature mango ripening under natural pro- 

 cesses in five days and an under-ripe mango ripening in twenty 

 days under forced conditions and chilling preservative influences. 



There is often so much deceit practised by the mango-sellers in the 

 bazaar that an unwary and uninitiated foreigner is likely to be taken- 

 in and presented with any wretched mangoes — perhaps some thick 

 skinned Goa mangoes — under the name of Alphonso mangoes. But 

 anybody that knows what a real mango is, from its taste, appearance, 

 flavour or aroma and texture, will always recognize it. Even the feel 

 is characteristic ; and the smell, without cutting, is diagnostic. Ihe 

 first gatherings of these mangoes are always defective and sold at 

 enormous prices, and Dr. Bonavia has a just reason to complain when he 

 finds that Rs. 6 have to be paid for a dozen mangoes. People are so 

 impatient to eat the first fruit of the season that they pay down any 

 price. The agents of the up-country Bajahs buy them up at fabulous 

 rates, as the Rajah's money is almost wit' out a guardian in such eases - 

 Induced by the hope of making an easy fortune, the mango contrac- 

 tor takes the earliest opportunity to have his pick of the fruit, and in 

 doing so often plucks under-ripe mangoes, which sometimes never 

 ripen at all or, if they do, do not develope into the perfect fruit and are 

 insipid. Sometimes they rot during the ripening process. 1 have 

 had an opportunity of tasting some Upper India and Sind mangoes, 

 and the Deccan, Goa, and Bangalore ones are common enough, but they 

 do not come up to the Bombay fruit. It is not my intention at pre- 

 sent to write anything on the different varieties of the mangoes found 

 in Bombay. During the next mango season the Bombay Natural 

 History will hold an exhibition of the different varieties of the mango, 

 when it is hoped a careful list of the various kinds will be made out. 



I come now to another part of Dr. Bouavia's remarks. When he 

 says that he has preached for many years that u it is a grave mistake 

 to throw away the thousands of stones of superb mangoes that are 

 consumed every year," one would think that Dr. Bonavia has practi- 

 cal experience in the matter sufficiently strong to substantiate his 

 remarks; He is clearly mentioning what is contrary to the actual 



