THE MAXGOSTAX. 



385 



the open air trained against a wall. The fruit is about the size of a large 

 gooseberry, and much like the apple in flavour. The Loquat has produced 

 fruit in the gardens of Lord Bagot, in Staffordshire, who gives the following 

 outline of its cultiu'e : — " The plan I have usually followed," says his lord- 

 ship, " has been to give it a winter, (out of doors) during the months of 

 July, August, and September, and about the middle of October to replace 

 it in a very warm situation in the tan. This summer, however, I was 

 obliged to alter my mode, for just at the moment when I was going to 

 put it out for its winter, it became covered with at least twenty of the 

 finest flowers possible ; I was, therefore, obliged to let it remain where it 

 was. The present year's treatment, therefore, is an exception to the 

 former practice ; under that, it usually breaks into flower about the end of 

 December, and the fruit becomes ripe in March and April." 



THF MANGOSTAX (Garcinia mangostana). 



This splendid tree is a native of the AJolucca islands, attaining the 

 height of about twenty feet. It has been introduced, and is successfully 

 cultivated, in Java and Malacca, where it is much esteemed. Dr. Garcin, 

 after whom the genus was named, describes it as the most dehcious of 

 all the East Indian fruits, and says that a great quantity of it may be 

 eaten without inconvenience, and recommends it as the only fruit that 

 sick people may eat of without scmple. 



The fruit is round, about the size of an ordinary orange, of a dehcious 

 flavour, partaking of the strawberry and the gi'ape. They are propagated 

 by the usual modes, viz., seeds and cuttings. Seeds, however, soon lose 

 their vegetative properties, and are with difficulty imported in a sound state: 

 cuttings are readily rooted, and soon make strong plants. It has been 

 long known in this country, and is noticed by Miller, who gives the fol- 

 lowing as the outline of its culture : — Sow the seeds in tubs of earth in 

 theh native country, and when the plants have obtained strength, they 

 may be brought to Europe ; but there should be great care taken to screen 

 them fi'om salt water in their passage, as also not to give them too much 

 water when in a cool or temperate .chmate. \Vhen the plants arrive in 

 Em'ope they should be carefidly transplanted, each into a pot filled with 

 light kitchen garden mould, and plunged in the tan bed, and shaded from 

 the sun till they have taken fresh root ; then treat them as suggested for 

 other stove plants." 



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