10 THE MANGO IN POKTO KICO. 



to be found in the Washinofton market, but we have never seen one 

 that could be called good, even in comparison with the Porto Rican 



fruit. 



This impression formed in the minds of the novelty' -loving public 

 will doubtless be difficult to dispel; but if reall}^ good mangoes could 

 be placed in the markets their increase in popular favor would be 

 certain and the growing of mangoes might become a profitable pursuit. 

 In spite of the fact that in all mango-producing countries the natives 

 consider the fruit wholesome and perfectly safe, prejudice against it 

 exists among some military officials and others, who condemn the fruit 

 as positively dangerous. During the Spanish war this prejudice was so 

 strong that the soldiers in Porto Rico were prohibited from eating the 

 mango, and many beautiful trees were cut down. This unjust prejudice 

 probably arose from- eating the fruit when unripe, in which state, like 

 most other fruits, it is unwholesome. Soldiers, hungry for fresh fruit 

 and quite unfamiliar with the mango, might easily mistake the green 

 ' for the ripe, especially as in Porto Rico some of the varieties when 

 ripe still remain green in color. All varieties become mellow when 

 ripe, however, and if eaten in that condition can not but be wholesome. 

 It is commonly believed in Porto Rico that the mango and rum should 

 never l)e partaken at the same time. This again probably applies to 

 the green fruit. 



In some parts of India the natives at one season of the year live 

 almost exclusively on mangoes, apparently without harm; and among 

 the writers consulted all commend it as extremely wholesome except 

 Sir George Birdwood, who states that the fruit is apt to act injuriously 

 on the kidneys. On the other hand, the mango is considered by most 

 authorities to have medicinal properties decidedly beneficial. An 

 extract from the Pharmacographia Indica, in Watt's Dictionary, 

 describes the fruit as "invigorating and refreshing, fattening, and 

 slightly laxative and diuretic." 



DESCRIPTION. 



The mango tree {Mangifera indica) varies in height, according to 

 the variety, from little more than a bush to a tree 50 to 70 feet high, 

 with a trunk 6 to 10 feet high and 2 feet or more in diameter. The 

 leaves are lanceolate, about 1 foot in length, tapering gradually to a 

 narrow point, with a smooth, shining surface. The young leaves are 

 first pink, then red lief ore turning green. The top is rounded and 

 very dense. (See Pis. I, II, III.) The bark is gray and smooth. 

 The flowers are small, reddish-white, or yellowish, borne in large 

 upright racemes. The fruit varies greatly, according to the variety. 

 In some kinds it is not more than 2 or 3 inches in greatest diameter, 

 while others are three or four times that size, some weighing as much 

 as 4 pounds. In form they vary from nearly spherical to long and 



