206 GARDEN PLANTS. PAET IT. 



of a deep yellow, resembling that of the finest Apricot, and of 

 considerable consistency, is very fragrant, and has a delicious but 

 very peculiar flavour. It is eaten either raw and alone, or cut into 

 slices with wine and sugar, or preserved in syrup." 



Dr. Macfadyen describes it as " of a sweetish aromatic taste, 

 bearing a resemblance to that of a Carrot." 



It was introduced into the Calcutta Botanical Gardens very 

 many years ago, where it has flowered, but never yet borne fruit. 



Garcinia Mangostana. 



MANGOSTEEN. 



The Mangosteen is a native of the Malay Islands. 



The fruit is held in the very highest estimation. Don declares 

 it to be " in flavour the most delicious fruit in the world, par- 

 taking of the Strawberry and the Grape." It is said that to taste 

 the fruit in perfection it must be eaten as it is gathered from the 

 tree. The specimens brought occasionally to Calcutta from 

 the Straits are of the size of a middling-sized Apple, perfectly 

 smooth, with a dense rind, which, when removed, the centre is 

 found to consist of a soft, white, pellucid, most agreeable pulp. 

 But these convey hardly a notion of the fine flavour of the fruit 

 when gathered fresh. The cultivation of the Mangosteen, in the 

 open air at least, as high north as any part of Bengal, seems 

 now pretty well decided to be impracticable. Plants have been 

 repeatedly introduced into the gardens about Calcutta, but have 

 never been known to yield fruit. Mr. K. Solano, notwithstanding, 

 assured me that he had in his garden at Shahabad three trees, 

 about six feet high, and that one of these had borne fruit two 

 years in succession. 



Garcinia Cowa. 



COWA COWA-MANGOSTEEN. 



A very handsome tree, with fine luxuriant foliage of large 

 laurel-formed leaves ; native of Southern India. 



The fruit ripens at the beginning of June, and is of the size 

 and form of a small Orange, ribbed, and of a russet-apricot colour ; 

 and were it not a trifling degree too acid, would be accounted 

 most delicious. It makes, however, a remarkably fine preserve. 



Plants are raised easily by sowing the fibre-covered stones with 

 which the centre of the fruit abounds. 





