EXOTIC FLOWERS AND PLANTS. 201 



years. If our hot-house trees were dwarfed by 

 the same means, that is, by transferring the top- 

 most shoots to the bottom of the stem, it would 

 not only keep the plant in a more convenient 

 size, but bring them sooner into flower and fruit. 

 The splendid Bomhax ceiba,Allemanda cathartica, 

 Barringtonia indica, Mschynomene grandijlora^ 

 &c. &c. are plants well worthy such trial. With 

 hot-house fruits, such as the Mango, this treat- 

 ment would certainly be a great improvement ; 

 and of this fine fruit it should be known, that 

 there are many varieties of it differing mate- 

 rially in their quality ; some are inferior because 

 of the stringiness of their pulp, whilst others are 

 as free from that defect as are our best melting 

 peaches; such only should be imported for cul- 

 tivation. The Garcinia mangostana^ one of the 

 most delicious tropical fruits, has been fruited in 

 France. I mention this as a proof that our present 

 expensive old-fashioned stoves may be productive 

 of something else besides mere showy plants. 

 The ordinary attention to a hot-house, is, as- 



