170 



TROPICAL FRUITS 



sickly branches ; while root-pruning is sometimes applied with 

 advantage to trees which are unfruitful (owing to their running too 

 much into wood and leaf), this being performed by cutting a deep 

 trench round the tree at a few feet from the stem, cutting clean 

 all roots met with. Shade is not necessary, except when the plants, 

 are young. Propagation is best by inarching or layering, the gootee 

 method being commonly adopted in India. Propagation of the 

 mango by budding may also be successfully effected (see under 



"JAFFNA," OK ALPHONSO MAXGO. 



Propagation}. Plants are easily raised from seeds, and if care be 

 exercised in selecting the best fruits from choice varieties, these may 

 become good fruitful trees. Some varieties are said to come more 

 true to seed than others. Frequently, however, seedling trees are 

 liable to be disappointing in the quality of their fruit, and they take 

 much longer to come into bearing than layered or grafted plants, 

 the latter commencing to bear fruit in their fourth or fifth year. 

 Before planting out, large holes, not less than 3 by 3 ft., should be 

 dug, mixing a good proportion of well-rotted manure with the 



