106 Sketch of the Tropical Fruits likely to be worth 



Of all known fruits the Mangustin (Garcinia Mangostana) 

 is placed by almost universal consent the highest in rank. It 

 is the pride of the countries to which it exclusively belongs ; 

 and seems to meet the approbation of persons of the greatest 

 diversity of taste in other matters. In shape and size the 

 fruit resembles a middle-sized Apple ; but has a thick dark 

 purple or brownish red rind, which is hard on the outside but 

 soft and succulent within. This encloses three or four cloves 

 consisting of a soft semi-transparent snow-white pulp, which 

 is the part eaten, or rather sucked, for it dissolves in the 

 mouth. Its characteristic quality is extreme richness of 

 flavour, without being luscious or cloying ; and it may be 

 eaten in any moderate quantity without danger of surfeit or 

 other unpleasant effects.* An intelligent traveller, speaking 

 of the Mangustin, says that he and his companions were 

 anxious to carry away with them some precise expression of 

 its flavour, but after satisfying themselves, that it partook of 

 the compound taste of the Pine Apple and the Peach they 

 were obliged to confess that it had many other equally good 

 but utterly inexpressible flavours.f A branch is represented 

 in Mr. Marsden's History of Sumatra, plate 5, and there is 

 a good coloured figure of it in a volume of Oriental Drawings 

 belonging to the Society. 



A wild variety {Mangostana celebica of Rumphius, Vol. i. 

 plate 44) is found in the woods of Java and Celebes, but the 

 true Mangustin appears to be a, native of the Western portion 

 of the Archipelago only.J 



The Durian (Durio Zibethinus), in point of excellence is 



* Marsden, page 97- Dampier, Vol, ii. page 125. Crawfurd, Vol. i. page 417- 

 f Abel's China, page 277- I Crawfurd, Vol. i. page 418. 



