24 



THE CUBA REVIEW. 



Flowers of Mango. 

 No. II. 



the carrier or crate, 

 place a little fine ex- 

 celsior and nest the 

 fruits snugly in this. 

 Do not use undue 

 pressure, and avoid 

 bruising. Do not 

 use large crates. 



The Florida crop 

 is marketed at pres- 

 ent in the common 

 tomato carrier or 

 crate (see illustra- 

 tion), holding six 

 ten - pound baskets. 

 For long - distance 

 shipments it will 

 probably be best to 

 use a more substan- 

 wood. It should be 



tial crate of thin 

 shallow and well made. 

 Varieties. 



A careful survey of the Island of Cuba will 

 result in bringing to notice a considerable 

 number of varieties well worthy of propa- 

 gation. Some Apple (Manzano) and Filip- 

 pino seedlings will be found to possess su- 

 perior merits and should be propagated and 

 grown. But it must be borne in mind that 

 such good varieties as may be found will 

 not come true from seed. They will have 

 to be inarched or budded. 



Apple is a variable form, generally a small 

 variety, roundish in shape, well colored and 

 of acid flavor. 



Filippino or Philippine Mango is a large 

 variety, long and rather narrow, with thin 

 seed; comparatively free from fiber, free 

 from turpentine flavor and a good shipper. 

 To these and other native strains should 

 be added Mulgoba, one of the U. S. Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture importations of 1889. 

 It is a thrifty, prolific variety, rounded 

 kidney shape, large — frequently weighing a 

 pound — yellow, blushed with red; fiber lack- 

 ing, the seed may be removed as from a 

 freestone peach ; flesh tender, melting, 

 juicy, quality very fine, fla\or rich and sweet. 

 Alphonse is said to be the best of all, of 

 delicious flavor ; greenish colored with a 

 rich crimson color- 

 ing on the side ex- 

 posed to the sun; 

 weighs about half a 

 pound. 



Soondersha is a 

 large variety, the 

 fruit weighing two 

 or three pounds. 

 Not so good in qual- 

 ity as Mulgoba. 

 Very prolific. 



No. 11 h?.s been 

 grown for some time 



„, ., ,. , in Florida as a seed- 



rlonda packing oi man-T_ j, ■ , 



goes for northern ^^^S- It was mtro- 



markets. duced from Jamai- 



ca. Good varieties of it can be found. 

 Blunt-pointed and rounded, of large size, 

 and very good quality. 



I am convinced that the cultivation of 

 the mango in Cuba ofifers an inviting field 

 for the enterprising horticulturist, and 

 merits a larger share of attention than it is 

 now receiving. 



Mangoes in Porto Pico. 



The 1907 annual report of the Agricul- 

 tural Experiment Station of Porto Rico 



A Cuban mango tree. 



contains an account of the investiga- 

 tions in progress at the station made dur- 

 ing the year in the production, for ex- 

 port, of mangoes. The interest in mango 

 growing is increasing. The mango tree 

 makes in many ways the ideal permanent 

 windbreak, so vitally essential to the 

 citrus groves of the island. Thousands 

 of seeds are being planted, and the de- 

 mand for the better imported forms is 

 rapidly increasing. 



Shipping trials of mangoes were made 

 during the season to further determine 

 the best methods of packing, handling. 



Original Mulgoba mango tree in Florida. 



etc., and the carrying qualities of the 

 fruit. These experiments were success- 

 ful so far as keeping qualities are con- 

 cerred, and it seems only a inatter of 

 time for the mango to become a valu- 

 able factor in our export trade. 



