THE MANGOSTEEN AND ITS RELATIVES 399 



the conditions suitable for the mangosteen, it may turn out to be 

 the best stock of all those tried. The most promising species of 

 Garcinia for use as stock-plants for the mangosteen are G. tinctoria, 

 G. morella, and G. Livingstonei, in the order named, the last a native 

 of Portuguese East Africa. The two first named are from the Malay 

 Peninsula." 



Recent experiments have shown that G. xanthochymus is also 

 promising. It is vigorous in growth, and adapted to many 

 types of soil. Inarching the mangosteen is a simple process, 

 essentially the same as inarching the mango. Oliver says 

 further : 



"None of the species of Garcinia used as stocks are difficult to 

 raise from seeds, provided they are fresh. They are easiest to ger- 

 minate when sown in soil composed largely of partially decomposed 

 leaves, mixed with a little loam and rough-grained sand. They 

 should be potted as soon as the first leaves are well developed. All 

 the Garcinias with the exception of G. Mangostana have magnificent 

 root systems and they thrive under ordinary treatment in so far as 

 soil watering and a considerable range of temperature are concerned. 



"It is an important point to have the stock plants in an active 

 stage of growth when the union is in progress, though the seedling 

 mangosteens may be inarched while apparently dormant. Although 

 the unions when both stock and cion are in a resting stage are fairly 

 satisfactory, the difference in growth is easily observable when the 

 stock plants are in active growth. To secure this active growth the 

 stocks should be allowed to become dormant; then, when they are 

 given larger pots, good drainage, and soil composed of rotted leaves, 

 at least one-half, and the rest fibrous loam containing a little rough- 

 grained sand, together with some rough charcoal and crushed bone, 

 they will under high temperature respond with vigorous growth. 

 When inarched in this condition the union is always satisfactory. 



" All plants used as stocks have been from one to three years old. 

 Within that period the age of the stocks seems to make little dif- 

 ference, especially when used as nurse stocks. Mangosteen seed- 

 lings seven months old united on nurse-stocks of three-year-old Gar- 

 cinia tinctoria made very fine unions, and within six months after 

 the union some of the mangosteen stems were almost as thick as those 

 of the stocks." 



P. J. Wester states that the mangosteen can be budded, and 

 says : " Use mature, green and smooth, nonpetioled budwood ; 



