20 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



January 20. 1912. 



FRUITS AND FRUIT TREES. 



MANGO CULTIVATION. 



In India, the mango takes the first place among fruits, 

 and the time when it is in .season is of much importance in 

 the greater part of that countr}', both to rich and to poor. 

 In different States, the value of the fruit and the prices 

 that are obtainable for it vary to a great extent: where the 

 , tree is common, it is natural that the prices are the lowest; 

 .but good value is given for imported superior varieties. 

 It is pointed out in an article on the subject of mango culti- 

 vation, contained in the Ai/rifultiiral Journal uf India for 

 October 1911, p. 405, from which the information in this 

 article is taken, that very different opinions are held in India 

 as to whether the production of mangoes is profitable, or not. 

 Many of the large mango gardens that exist were planted by 

 rich men, who raised the fruit with the object of obtaining 

 superior varieties for their own use, rather than production 

 for profit. In other cases, where the commercial motive has 

 entered, there has been little care with regard to selection, 

 either with respect to soils or varieties of the fruit. 



In India, all successful mango gardens are found on sites 

 where the soil is at least 5 feet deep, and moist, with good 

 drainage. The opinion is not held in that country that the 

 tree will grow equally well in deep and shallow soils. 



Even when the plants are growing in a suitable soil and 

 under the proper climatic conditions, they are very uncertain 

 in regard to the bearing of fruit, and forecasts of the crop 

 are likely to be at fault. Most of the well-known com- 

 mercial varieties, in Indiu, are usually dependable in this 

 respect, and can be relied upon to give some yield, at any 

 rate, every year. The following interesting fact is stated in 

 the article: ' If half the number of existing trees were to 

 bear fruit every year, the local market.;' would be glutted, 

 and people would be compelled to find new methods of export- 

 ing surplus fruit to foreign countries.' The Alphonse and 

 the Mulgoba are mentioned specially as shy-bearing trees. 

 There is a large variation in different parts of India, in the 

 time of blossoming of the trees, and fruit growers definitely 

 ascertain this in order that they may make arrangements for 

 their own advantage. 



The greatest eneni}', in Indin, to mango blossoms is 

 said to be plant lice (aphids). These insects weaken the 

 plants when they are blossoming, by sucking the sap, and 

 cause the formation of a thick viscid substance, on the 

 flowers, which interferes with pollination, and injures the 



growing fruits. It is supposed that heavy rains are useful 

 in washing away this substance, and recommendations' are 

 made for cleansing the trees by syringing with pure water or 

 with a mixture of soapsuds and kerosene oil, or by spraying 

 the trees with weak Bordeaux mixture or iron sulphate, 

 before the blossoms appear. 



When the different varieties of mangoes are grown in 

 various parts of India, it is found that the quality of the 

 fruit is influenced to some extent by the locality, and it is 

 supposed that most kinds gain their best development in 

 Hyderabad. 



With regard to the water supply for the trees, it has 

 been found that the best results are obtained by careful 

 irrigation on well-drained slopes. It is advised that abun- 

 dant irrigation should be given to mango plants during the 

 vigorous time of their growth: that is to say, until they 

 attain their eighth or tenth year. In order to assist in 

 obtaining good supplies of fruit from well-grown trees, it is 

 recommended that, under the special conditions, the whole 

 of the ground beneath them should be well dug with a pick- 

 axe and exposed in this state for two months after' the rains 

 are over, as tlie adoption of this course induces the trees to 

 form flowers. The soil should be allowed to remain in this 

 state for about forty days after the time of flowering. 

 Irrigation in the earlier stages of fruiting often causes 

 dropping of the fruits. 



The siiccia! conditions that are considered in the article 

 lead to the advice that mango trees should be manured with 

 well-rotted litter, at the time of the rains, once every 

 two or three years; high manuring is said, however, to cause 

 the fruit to deteriorate in quality. The safest manure for 

 mango trees is stated to be leaf mould. Unirrig.ated trees 

 should not recede ap[)lications of strong manures after the 

 rains, as such applications are likely to cause their death. 



The Irapeiial Department of Agriculture is oftering 

 a bonus of £20 /for the importation of a stallion horse into 

 Tortola before March 1, 1912. Among the conditions are: 

 that the Commissioner of Agriculture must be satisfied that 

 the animal is suited to the purpose for which it is imported; 

 that the importer must not export the animal from the' island 

 for at least five years; and that during this time he must be 

 prepared to allow not less than twenty services in a year, for 

 a fee not exceeding 10s. for each animal. 



