12 BULLETIN 52, U. S. DEPAKTMENT OF AGEICULTUKE. 



CnlliTis/ discussing the mango in Porto Rico, says : 



As to climate, it is much more exacting, and the fact that the tree may thrive well 

 in a given locality and yet fail to produce fruit should be kept always in mind. It 

 may be considered as proven that the mango will be prolific only in regions subject 

 to a considerable dry season. On the moist north side of Porto Rico the trees grow 

 luxuriantly, but they are not nearly so prolific nor is the fruit of such good quality 

 as on the dry south side, and in the very dry region about Yauco and at Cabo Rojo 

 the fruit seems at its best. * * * In Guatemala and Mexico the mango was found 

 at its best only in regions where severe dry seasons prevailed. This position is amply 

 supported by reports of the mango in other localities. * * * Rains at the time of 

 flowering seem to be especially injurious. 



Higgins ^ has observed the same condition in Hawaii and writes as 

 follows : 



In connection with what has just been said, it will be recalled that the early months 

 of 1904 were marked by heavy rainfall and almost continuous cloudy, wet weather, 

 while the corresponding months in 1905 were exceptionally dry. This unquestion- 

 ably had much to do with the large crop of mangos produced during the season just 

 passed. 



Unfortunately, no bloom recoids for Florida prior to 1912 are 

 available, but the conditions that prevailed during that season as 

 regards weather and the failuie to set fruit are quite in accord with 

 the observations just presented. The seedling mangos in the region 

 around Miami bloomed during -the first two weeks of Januaiy, 1912. 

 By referring to the Monthly Meteorological Summary of the United 

 States Weather Bureau at Miami for this month, it is seen that of the 

 first 15 days 9 were cloudy, 3 partly cloudy, and 3 clear. Further, 

 out of these 15 days ram fell on 10, the precipitation rangmg from 

 0.01 to 0.66 of an inch, the total precipitation being 1.94 inches. As 

 mentioned previously, practically all of the seedling trees bloomed 

 heavily, but none set fruit. 



Most of the second crop of bloom developed during the first 20 

 days of March, and while some fiuit was set from this bloom it was 

 exceedingly light as compared with the amount of bloom. The 

 Monthly Meteorological Summary for the first 20 days of this month 

 shows 10 days cloudy, 9 partly cloudy, and 1 clear. Rain fell on 9 

 of the 20 days, the precipitation varying from a trace to 1.44 inches, 

 with a total precipitation of 3.17 inches. 



The situation was quite as bad during the spring of 1913. The 

 blooming period extended from March 7 to 26 and rain fell on 8 of 

 the 19 days. The black areas in figure 2 show the distribution of 

 the days on which rain fell during the blooming periods of 1912 and 

 of 1913. 



It is seen from the foregoing that the suitability of any region for 

 the successful production of mangos is inextricably connected with 



1 CoUiiLS, G. N. The maiiKo in I'orto Rico. IT. S. Department, of Agriculture, Bureau of Plant Industry, 

 Bulletin 28, p. 13, 1903. 



2 Op. cit. 



