167 



Mazagon, Bombay last year via England, 8 plants now survive, planted 

 •out at Hodges, and doing well. If my memory serves me rightly 

 five are Alphonse and three Pseree, but I am not certain. 



The altitude of Hodges House is some 30 odd feet above sea level. 

 The plain from Fonthill to Pedro Savannah is more or less the same 

 with rising ground here and there. 



The plain from Hodges Wharf on the sea up to the foot of Hodges 

 Mountain land on Louana Hills, is about 1J to If miles. Mangoes do 

 far best on the plain. 



Mangoes are in season early at Hodges but it depends greatly on 

 the season and the rain. This year the fruit commenced to ripen early 

 in May and the fruit continues for some three months I should put 

 down June as the month for the principal crop on the plains. During 

 last five years, highest temperature in Hodges House 93 degrees, low- 

 est (in front verandah) 59 degrees, mean temperature daring day 87 

 88 degrees, at night 72 to 74 degrees. 



From Mr. H. W. Griffith, Hodges, Black River. 

 The names of mangoes known round about Hodges district are : 

 Turpentine Greenskin 

 Milly Apple 

 Sweetie Kidney 

 Windsor Robin 

 Plum No. 11. 



Also one very large mango which weighs up to 21bs each, but vul- 

 garly known as " John-crow-belly-full." Ail these mangoes are very 

 stringy. A small place I have on the hills facing the sea, behind 

 Hodges and situated 780 feet above sea level, has one East Indian 

 Mango tree, which bears very large mangoes similar to Hope Gardens 

 JEast Indian Mango, not in the least bit stringy and a delicious flavour, 

 slightly turpentiny if eaten too close to the skin. 



At the Rectory they have a young mango tree, the mangoes much 

 resemble in shape the ones I have on the hills, i.e. they have a bump 

 in place of an indentation which the Jamaica mangoes have. 



The Rectory mango, I believe, came from Brazil. One important 

 point in mangoes for exportation, I have noticed, and that is, if the 

 East Indian (stringless) mangoes are picked when full, but before they 

 turn yellow, and put on one side to ripen, when cut open and eaten 

 with a spoon, they are found to be slightly stringy, whereas if picked 

 off the trees when ripe, and kept for a day or so (before they go too 

 ripe) they are quite stringless ; by this I fancy all mangoes exported 

 will be more or less stringy. The rainfall here for the list twelve 

 years is as follows : — • 





Ins. Pts. 





Ins. 



Pts. 



1890 



50 . 64 



1896 



39 



. 65 



91 



49 . 7 



97 



67 



. 18 



92 



55 . 26 



98 



43 



. 81 



93 



62 . 99 



99 



67 



. 53 



94 



63 . 18 



1900 



60 



. 6 



95 



40 . 8 









The formation 



of soil here is mos 



;tly sand, clay, 



marl. 





From Mr. W. Panton Forbes, Yardly Chase, Southfield 

 This is one of the best mango districts ; bear heavily as a rule, they 



