116 TROPICAL AGRICULTURE 



cally worthless fruit. On the other hand, some of the best 

 varieties have a delicate aroma and a flavor of the highest 

 delicacy. It is unquestionable that if the standard varieties 

 of mangos could be placed on the northern markets in prime 

 condition the demand for them would soon far exceed that for 

 any other fresh tropical fruit except bananas and pineapples. 

 The color and shape of the mango fruit vary greatly as well 

 as the size of the fruit. The color ranges from green to yel- 

 low, and various peach tints to a decided magenta, and the rind 

 may be variously speckled with yellow or pink spots or with 

 a blush of high color on one side of the fruit. The amount 

 of fiber in the fruit also varies greatly. In some varieties the 

 slicing of the fruit with a knife makes a noise like the opera- 

 tion of shaving a stiff beard. In other varieties the pulp is so 

 free from fiber and of such consistency that it may be readily 

 eaten with a spoon. 



The mango, with the exception of some of the Philippine 

 varieties, does not come true to seed. It should be propagated 

 therefore by the methods of inarching, budding, grafting, or 

 bark grafting. In some of the seedling types, particularly 

 those from the Philippines, the seed is polyembryonic, each 

 seed producing 6 to 8 or more plants. Such types of mangos 

 usually come fairly true to seed. In planting the seed the husk 

 should be removed. This hastens germination and also en- 

 ables one to see whether he is planting a good kernel or a 

 mere empty husk. It should be remembered that the seeds 

 do not retain their germinating power more than one to two 

 months after removal from the fruit. In many localities in 

 the Tropics seed is likely to be destroyed by the mango weevil, 

 which enters the fruit when it is young and goes through its 

 transformations in the kernel of the seed. 



The flower panicles, the young fruit, and the growing twigs 

 are often attacked by the fungous disease known as the mango 

 anthracnose. This causes a blighting of the twigs and flowers 

 and prevents the setting of fruit. It is particularly prevalent 



