THE MANGO 103 



that much further study will be needed before its habits are 

 thoroughly understood. 



The amount and character of tillage given to the orchard 

 varies in different regions. In most parts of the tropics little 

 attention is given to the mature tree. The soil beneath its 

 spreading branches is often firmly packed down by the hoofs 

 of domestic animals; or weeds may be allowed to grow un- 

 checked. Needless to say, such treatment has little to recom- 

 mend it. In Florida the land is sometimes given shallow 

 cultivation during part of the year, and at other seasons legu- 

 minous cover-crops may be grown upon it, particularly if the 

 orchard is not yet of bearing age. It is evident that the 

 amount of nitrogenous fertilizer required by bearing groves is 

 small. Over-stimulation results in vigorous development of 

 foliage but no fruit. 



Growers of grafted mangos in India resort to various expe- 

 dients to check the vegetative activity of the tree and encourage 

 the development of fruit. Thomas Firminger 1 says: "The 

 mango, like all other fruit trees, is much benefited by having 

 the earth around it removed, and the roots left exposed for a 

 space of two or three weeks. This should be done in November, 

 and in December the roots should be well supplied with manure, 

 and then covered in again with entirely fresh earth, and not 

 that which had been previously removed." Woodrow notes 

 that "the mango growers near Mazagon, Bombay, who pro- 

 duced such famous fruit before the land was occupied with 

 cotton mills, applied ten pounds of salt to each tree at the end 

 of September; this would arrest growth in October and 

 November, and encourage the formation of flower buds. In a 

 moist climate, and the intervening ground occupied with irri- 

 gated crops, this system is highly commendable, but with a 

 dry climate it is unnecessary." 



The failure of many varieties to fruit abundantly is often 

 1 Manual of Gardening for India. 



