152 MANUAL OF TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL FRUITS 



one maund (28 pounds) of kernels about li candies (115 pounds) 

 of seed nuts are required." 



Very few pests have been reported as affecting the cashew. 

 Father Tavares 1 mentions a fungus parasite which attacks the 

 branchlets, leaves, and flowers at Bahia, Brazil. The red- 

 banded thrips (Heliothrips rubrocinctus Giard.) sometimes 

 attacks the tree in the West Indies. H. Maxwell-Lefroy men- 

 tions two other species of thrips which have been found on the 

 cashew in Mysore, India : these are Idolothrips halidaji Newm. 

 and Phloeothrips anacardii Newm. (?). 



Seedling cashew trees differ in the character and quantity 

 of fruit they yield. In Brazil the trees which produce the 

 largest and finest fruits are distinguished with varietal names. 

 Some of these trees acquire local reputations. 



Recently P. J. Wester has shown that the cashew can be 

 shield-budded. By employing this method, it is easily possible 

 to propagate choice varieties originating as chance seedlings. 

 The reader is referred to Wester's publication " Plant Propaga- 

 tion in the Tropics," 2 one of the most valuable contributions 

 which have been made to tropical pomology. 



The method of budding the cashew is essentially the same 

 as that described in the chapter on the avocado. Wester says 

 in brief: "Use nonpetioled, mature budwood which is turning 

 grayish ; cut the bud li to If inches long ; insert the bud in 

 the stock at a point of approximately the same age and appear- 

 ance as the cion." 



THE IMBU (Fig. 23) 

 (Spondias tuberosa, Arruda.) 



Of the several fruits belonging to the genus Spondias which 

 are grown in various parts of the tropics, the imbu, although 



1 In Broteria, xiv, January, 1916. 



2 Bull. 32, Philippine Bur. Agr., 1916. 



