241 



Martin mango is in bast condition, and if of good, quality, that would 

 sell, but the dark gree.i spoiled varieties arc, </nii<' useless for market 

 purposes here. On receipl of this, I wrote Messrs. Munro Btating the 

 opinions expressed by other authorities, and they replied thai while 

 they did not doubl the good faith of my corresp indents they looked 

 at the matter from the poinl of view of " market value" and state : 

 '• that it is useless a fruit being of the very best quality unless it has 

 a good appearance as well," tts those really appreciating good </n<ili- 

 ties of tin 1 mango are few and far between." 



This, from a well known salesman, shows the ultra-conservatism 

 of the English market, and means that the salesman has no time on 

 hind to prospect for buyers, and is disinclined to receive anything 

 unless of handsome appearance, no matter what the quality may he. 



The grower has therefore the duty cast upon him, to educate 

 the British public, as to the quality of the best mangos. The time 

 is within the memory of many of us, when the Banana was practically 

 unknown in the English fruit trade, and yet to-day, we see its great 

 popularity. The difficulty is, to get Mangos known amongpeople able 

 and willing to buy : to overcome which, I can suggest no better means 

 than to send small samples to Cluhs and to the entertaining nobility 

 and gentry of England for trial. Once known ! a market, and a good 

 market too ! will assuredly open. But we anticipate if we do this 

 at once, for could a constant supply for a season he maintained. 

 I do not think Trinidad is yet ready, but from the large numbers 

 of grafted plants bought annually at the Experiment Station, it is 

 certain that in a short time, this Colony will be in a position to 

 offer and maintain a constant supply during the season of ripening, 

 which being coincident with the " London Season " makes the possi- 

 hility of a market feasible. We have had the approval of the few. 

 -and should now grow plenty, and supply the many. 



It is certain that mangos can be well carried if properly packed. 

 The writer as long ago as 1879 sent mangos to Sir Joseph Hooker, 

 K.C.S.I., then Director of the Royal Gardens, Kew : and I have vet 

 in my possession his letter of appreciation. The first consignment 

 sent to the Palace came well, but later consignments, differently 

 ■packed, Avere utter failures, and in a state of fermentation on 

 arrival. Before the crop oj next season comes in, it is the intention 

 of this department to publish a short memo on the method of packing 

 which experience has proved to be most successful, as it is only 

 by due attention to this most important point, that a trade in this 

 fruit can he established. 



731.-COCO-NUT DISEASE. 



One of the first things I received instructions to investigate after 

 my return from England on 1st August last, Avas a disease, stated to 

 be prevalent among coconut trees on the West Coast of Trinidad. I 

 visited the estate on which it was said to be prevalent, and found the 

 case had not been overstated and that an expert investigation was 

 urgently necessary. In my preliminary report to the Government, it 

 is pointed out that the disease appears to be similar to that recorded 



