THE MANGO 125 



should be by hand as far as practicable ; a bag-net with the mouth 

 distended by a circle of cane, and suspended by a strap from the 

 shoulder, leaves both hands free to gather. None must be allowed 

 to fall to the ground ; all should be handled as gently as eggs because 

 a slight bruise brings on decay quickly. To bring down the higher 

 fruit a bag-net 15 inches in depth, the mouth distended by a circle 

 of cane, traversed by and bound to a light bamboo and having a piece 

 of hoop iron bound across the mouth of the bag at right angles to the 

 bamboo forms an efficient apparatus for the purpose ; the hoop iron 

 breaks the stalk, and the fruit falls into the net and is gently lowered 

 to the ready baskets. It is then carried to the fruit room and arranged 

 in single layers, with soft dry grass above and below. The room must 

 be well ventilated and cool, yet not subject to decided changes of tem- 

 perature; a moist atmosphere hastens ripening and decay, coolness 

 and fresh air retard destructive changes. 



" For transport, small baskets fit to contain a dozen mangos should 

 be provided, each with a lid and some hay for packing at top and 

 bottom. Each basket should be filled so as to prevent motion of the 

 fruit, choice specimens being separately wrapped in soft paper. 

 Twelve small baskets may be packed firmly into one large one, and 

 the load becomes sufficient for a man to carry when the basket has 

 been raised on to his head. By this means bruised and damaged fruit 

 is reduced to the lowest terms, and repacking for distribution is 

 avoided." 



A. C. Hartless of Saharanpur says : " It is a common practice 

 here to ripen the fruit artificially. This is done to save the 

 expense of watching and protecting from predatory animals 

 and birds. When the fruits attain the desired size they are 

 taken off and packed in straw in closed boxes where they will 

 ripen. The taste may in this way differ slightly from those 

 ripened on the tree, but it is not uncommon for the fruits on 

 the same tree to differ materially in taste." C. Maries reports 

 that the variety Mohur Thakur is ripened on the tree at Dar- 

 bhanga, small bamboo baskets being placed around the fruits to 

 keep flies and moths from eating them. When the basket 

 falls to the ground the fruit is ripe and ready for eating. 



Some varieties will keep much longer after picking than 

 others. William Burns, 1 in his article on the Pairi mango, 



1 Agricultural Journal of India, p. 27, 1911. 



