839 



vegetable either alone or in curries. The leaves are 

 boiled and eaten as greens and also serve as fodder for 

 cattle. The wood Is whitish-grey, closely grained, and 

 hard, but not used for any special purpose. The unripe 

 fruits are used as fish poison." (Watt, Dictionary of 

 Economic Products of India.) 



Spondias lutea L. (Anacardlaceae . ) 39563. Seeds from 

 Bogota, Colombia. Procured through Mr. F. L. Rockwood, 

 clerk of the American Legation. "'Ciruelas.' There is a 

 yellow fruit here, which is in the market about three 

 months of the year. It is reddish yellow, grov/s on a 

 small tree, like cherries on a small scale. It has never 

 been cultivated but has a very large seed and a pleasant 

 slightly acid taste, and the market name is 'ciruelas,' 

 which is Spanish for plums. They are about three quarters 

 of an inch long and oblong in shape, a very handsome fruit. 

 The season lasts only from June to September. This class 

 of fruit Is abundant in the valleys of the Andes in a warm 

 climate where the temperature is from 70 to 80 P. , and it 

 seems to do best below the coffee belt in valleys where 

 it is shaded and well watered. The fruit is very popular 

 in this market, especially among the children and seems 

 very healthy to use. The price is higher in proportion to 

 other tropical fruits in the Bogota market, owing to the 

 fact that none is cultivated and dependence is placed upon 

 the wil crop only. This fruit is said to counteract the 

 effects arising from eating too much meat." (Rockwood.) 



NOTES FROM CORRESPONDENTS ABROAD. 



Philippine Islands. Manila. Mr. Henry H. Boyle on 

 his late visit to America was requested to write a full 

 account of a very interesting practice of the Filipinos 

 which they believe ensures a good crop of mangos. In 

 his letter of March 6, 1915, he gives the following de- 

 scription of "The smoking of mangos: A fire is built under 

 the tree, then a bamboo shield is placed so that the smoke 

 from the fire is directed upward through the branches of 

 the tree. In some cases a smoke stack is made out of bam- 

 boo and placed under the tree. The fire is built under 

 the hood. This is by far the most efficient method of 

 having the smoke spread through the branches of the tree. 

 The natives of Cavite Province start to smoke the mango 

 trees the first part of August and continue until the 

 flowers have been pollinated and the fruit set. The time 

 consumed in smoking is about one month. Weeds, leaves and 

 rubbish are used for fuel. Care should be taken not to 

 let the materials blaze. This can be prevented by placing 

 rice chaff, banana leaves or sawdust upon the pile to be 

 burned. The smoking is performed upon trees that have and 



