blockings' garden manual. 



103 



unripe fruit pickled is an article of export ; and in 

 India a large trade is carried on in the young green 

 fruit, dried in the sun, it being a favorite condiment for 

 curries. 



The fruit should not be left on the tree until it is 

 fully ripe, as it is liable to fall and get bruised ; but 

 should be gathered when mature, and beginning to 

 change color \ and, being carefully packed in clean, dry 

 straw, should be left until quite ripe, and the fine flavor 

 and aroma fully developed, which would be in about 

 ten days or a fortnight. This quality in the mango 

 will enable growers at the northern ports to ship this 

 delicious fruit, when it becomes more plentiful, to Bris- 

 bane. Sydney, and Melbourne, And the command of 

 such large and remunerative markets ought to induce 

 the general planting of this beautiful and valuable tree. 

 It produces fruit at about three years of age, when 

 raised from seed. The only way to ensure having good 

 sorts is to obtain layered or grafted plants from fruit 

 bearing trees of approved quality. The seedlings some- 

 times turn out well, but more frequently they are 

 inferior or worthless. 



It may be propagated by cuttings, layers, and grafts. 



A rich, peaty loam is the most suitable, and it is very 

 sensitive to a retentive soil or stagnant water. 



The seeds do not retain their vegetative powers for 

 any length of time, but must be sown directly they are 

 gathered, when they germinate very freely. 



The timber is extensively used in India, and is ap- 

 plied to all the usual purposes of the fir in Europe. 



THE MANGOSTEEN— (Garcinia Mangostana). 



This tree is allied to the Mammee ; it grows in a 

 most beautiful and regular form to the height of twenty 

 feet, with a taper stem, having branches on all sides 



