THE MANGO 81 



While many of the common seedlings yield abundantly with 

 no cultural attention, the production of fine grafted mangos is 

 attended by certain cultural difficulties, some of which are yet 

 to be overcome. Anthracnose, a fungous disease related to the 

 wither-tip of citrus fruits, is a serious pest in many regions. 

 The greatest difficulty, however, is the tendency of many of the 

 choice Indian varieties to bear irregularly. In some cases good 

 crops are produced not oftener than once in three or four years. 

 Thorough investigation of cultural requirements together with 

 experimental planting of many varieties is bringing to light 

 the most productive kinds and the proper methods to be 

 employed in their cultivation. 



BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION 



The family Anacardiaceae, to which the mango belongs, 

 includes a large number of plants found within the tropics 

 and a few growing in the Mediterranean region, Japan, 

 and temperate North America. The best known relatives 

 of the mango are, probably, the cashew (Anacardium occi- 

 dentale), widely cultivated in the tropics for its edible 

 fruit; the pistachio nut (Pistacia vera) of the Mediter- 

 ranean region; several species of Spondias which are grown 

 for their edible fruits; the obnoxious poison ivy (Rhus Toxi- 

 codendron) of the United States; and the so-called pepper- 

 tree, Schinus molle, familiar in the gardens and streets of 

 southern California. 



The cultivated mangos are usually considered as belonging 

 to a single species, Mangifera indica. It has been pointed 

 out by certain botanists, however, that probably other species 

 have entered into the composition of cultivated forms. C. L. 

 Blume l says that they have developed from many species 

 scattered through tropical Asia, mainly in the Malay Archi- 



Mus. Lugd. Bat. 1, 190-191. 



