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Pomona College Journal of Economic Botany 



out in its present location almost thirty years ago. This tree has had the advan- 

 tage of a very mild location, which though not favorable to the rapid growth of 

 the tree or the perfection of its fruit, has enabled it to develop into a good sized 

 tree without being cut back by the frost. The fruit produced is of little value, but 

 the enormous productivity of the tree is surprising, it frequently carrying over a 

 thousand fruits in one crop. Few of the fruits reach a mature size, however, and 

 none ripen perfectly. 



Other trees planted more recently are now in bearing, and being situated in 

 several different localities their behavior may be taken as giving something of an 

 indication of the situations in this part of the state best adapted to the culture 

 of the mango. Many small seedlings planted in cool localities have succumbed 

 to the frosts of winter, but in the milder locations or with some protection during 

 the first few winters, several trees have attained sufficient size to withstand the 

 frosts, and are now doing well, it being a well known fact that if afforded some 

 protection for the first few winters the tree will withstand without injury frosts 

 which would have been fatal to it in the young stage. 



At Sierra Madre the mango has probably done best. This is probably due 

 to the absence of severe frosts during the winter, coupled with the intense heat 

 of such a location during the summer, Sierra Madre being directly at the foot of 

 the mountains and receiving a large amount of reflected heat. Here two trees, 

 planted quite a number of years ago and receiving practically no care, are bearing 

 regularly and show that one of the principal requirements of the mango is a 

 warm season of long duration, with high temperatures, for the fruits come much 

 nearer ripening on the tree here than near the coast, where they are subjected to 

 fogs during a great part of the summer and never experience the intense heat 

 found further inland. 



Two trees growing in the foothills near Sherman, and only a few miles from 

 the ocean, are in a thrifty condition and bearing well, but also go to show that 

 more heat than is experienced in such a location is necessary for the perfect ripen- 

 ing of the fruit. One of the trees is an inarched Red Number Eleven, sent out some 

 years ago by the Department of Agriculture, and is of great interest on account 

 of being, so far as known to me, the only inarched or grafted mango now bearing 

 in California. This tree demonstrates very clearly some of the differences between 

 a seedling and a grafted tree. It is a regular and prolific bearer, and the fruits 

 are all of a uniform, normal development, a fact rare with the seedlings. If it 

 could have been planted further inland there seems little doubt but that it would 

 be producing first-class mangos, as it is only the lack of sufficient heat that prevents 

 the fruit from ripening perfectly. It is never affected by frost, and one glance at 

 the dark green, healthy state of its foliage is sufficient to satisfy the most skeptical 

 as to the possibility of growing the mango in California. 



A five year old seedling near Santa Ana has made a splendid growth and is 

 producing regularly, although rather shyly. Xot much can be said as yet as to 

 the adaptability of this locality to the mango, but it would seem that it too lacks 

 the necessary degree of heat during the summer months for the perfect ripening 

 of the fruit, of this variety at least. 



