171 



(1902) from Demerara gave 20'6 per cent, of tannin (air-dried 

 material) and 23*8 per cent, for material dried at 105° C. A sample 

 from Bengal gave 13*5 per cent, of tannin, and one from Pemba 

 was found to contain the high percentage of 49*39, calculated on 

 dried bark. It is stated that Mango bark possesses the peculiarity 

 of communicating to leather a red tint which is not popular with 

 English tanners, and the material is at present little known in this 

 country (Tech. Rep. & Sci. Papers, Imp. Inst. p. 200). It also 

 yields a gum-resin of some medicinal value, and which, according 

 to Aitchison, is frequently sold as gum arabic. Hooper finds that 

 an analysis of the clean gum-resin shews the following composi- 

 tion : — Moisture, 4*34 ; resin, 79*16 ; gnm, 14*68 ; ash, 1*66 ; loss, 

 0*16. A sample of gum-resin from another tree afforded 78*4 per 

 cent, of resin (Pharm. Journ. [4] xxiv. p. 718). 



In Angola the skin of the root, which is very astringent and 

 slightly aromatic, is occasionally used in the treatment of diarrhoea 

 and dysentery (Hiern, Cat. Welw. Afr. PI. i. p. 174). 



The wood is used for planking, doors, window frames ; packing 

 cases for indigo, opium and tea. Weight 42 lbs. per cubic foot 

 (Gamble, Man. Ind. Timb. p. 212). 



The Mango can be readily raised from seed. Seeds soon lose their 

 vitality and should be sown with as little delay as possible after 

 removal from the fruit. They germinate quickly — in about a fort- 

 night — and if sown in nurseries during the dry season about 

 January, and kept watered, they would be ready for planting out 

 in the following rainy season (June, July or August). They are 

 best sown in bamboo pots or little baskets made of palm leaves. 

 This avoids risk of injury to the roots when transplanted. A good 

 method also is to sow at once in the position intended to be per- 

 manent, the best time being just before the commencement of the 

 rains. In this case, however, the labour of protecting is increased 

 until the plants are large enough to look after themselves. 



The above refers more particularly to the common sort when 

 grown for ornamental purposes, or as stocks for grafting. 



The choice varieties are usually propagated by grafting on the 

 common stock ; the inarching method, with pot-grown plants 

 about one year old, being generally considered the most practical 

 way. Of the improved varieties that have been fount! nearly 

 always to come true from seed in Jamaica, " No. 11," " Black 

 Mango " and " Kidney Mango " are mentioned as exceptions to 

 the general rule (Bull. Bot. Dept. Jamaica, 1901, p. 165). 



The propagation of the Mango by budding has only recently 

 been brought into practice, and up to the present may be regarded 

 as little more than experimental. The method has been found 

 reliable in Jamaica ; the Director of the Botanical Department, in 

 his Report for 1903-04, states that " trees of all sizes were budded, 

 but it was found that as a rule the larger the trees the more readily 

 and rapidly the bud grew." 



" Without doubt the quickest way to establish a Mango Orchard 

 would be to transplant the stumps of trees, say 6-8 inches in 

 diameter, previously cut down to within 3 feet of the ground," 

 budding the new shoots. 



