USES. 21 



In Porto Rico termites frequently build their nests in niantro trees, 

 but their o-ulleries are constructed entirely on th(> outside of the })!irk, 

 and do not appear to injure the tree in any way. 



In introducing new varieties great care should be exercised not to 

 introduce any of the almost innumerable parasites, botli animal and 

 vegetable, that prey upon the mango in other countries. All grafted 

 stock and cuttings should be carefully inspected and disinfected before 

 being planted. 



USES. 



The principal use of the mango is as a fresh fruit, and as such it 

 deserves to become as common as the orange or the banana. A justi- 

 fication of this rather sweeping assertion is to be found in the degree 

 of popularity which the mango enjoys in comparison with these ])ettcr- 

 known tropical friuts in countries where all are well established. 

 Experience has shown that such comparisons are a better criterion of 

 the ultimate i)opulai-ity of an introduced fruit than the judgment of 

 otherwise competent persons with whom the fruit is more or less, of a 

 novelt3\ 



The intense tiavor of some of the most fibrous mangoes is by many 

 preferred to the milder and less fibrous varieties. The eating of the 

 former is, however, such a difficult and untidy performance that the 

 taste is much less frecjuently acquired than would be the case could 

 some better method of conducting the operation be devised. Where 

 the fruit is plentiful the method of peeling shown in PI. VT enables 

 one to secure the greater part of the tlesh of a stringy mango without 

 soiling the hands. A cut is made around either end of the fruit and 

 these are then connected along one side, the central strip being peeled 

 ofi' in one piece. The skin remaining on the ends of the fruit affords 

 a means of holding it Avithout the fingers coming in contact with the 

 juicy flesh. If in addition a sharp-pointed fork is at hand, this can be 

 firmly fixed in the seed and the skin at the ends removed, thus saving 

 the sweetest part of the fruit. PI. VI, fig. 3, shows a special mango 

 fork secured in Mexico by Dr. J. N. Kose. The long, slender tine in 

 the center easily penetrates the seed and the shorter outer tines need 

 only to touch the seed to prevent it from turning. 



The mango has numerous important secondary uses, among which 

 may be mentioned the following: 



THE CANNING OF THE GREEN OR RIPE FRUIT. 



Mr. E' M. Shelton/' of the department of agriculture, Queejisland, 



gives the following recipe: 



After peeling, the fruit is separated from the stones by slicing into pieces of con- 

 venient size; these should be stewed for a few minutes only, before pouring into cans, 

 in sirup strong or weak in sugar to suit taste, or the fruit may be cooked in the can 



f Bulletin of the Botanical Department of Jamaica, July, 1894, Vol. I, p. HI. 



