SOME FRUITS OF HAWAII 



49 



MANGO 



( Mangifera indica ) 



Description: Many recognized varieties of mangos as well as un- 

 named hybrids are grown in Hawaii. In general, the mango can be 

 described as a medium-sized fruit from 2 to 4 inches in width and from 

 3 to 7 inches in length. The skin, which is smooth and thick, is strong 

 enough to be pulled from the flesh when the fruit is ripe or nearly so. 

 As the fruit matures the green skin changes in most varieties to more 

 brilliant colors which may be purplish-red shading to green, deep crim- 

 son, or even yellow with red spots. The flesh varies in color from light 

 lemon to deep apricot. ■ In the most prized varieties, it is juicy, smooth, 

 free from fiber, and it separates easily from the large hairy seed. The 

 flavor, which varies greatly, may be insipid and sweet or reminiscent 

 of turpentine ; however, in good varieties it is very delicious, reminding 

 many people of the flavor of the peach. 



History: Although the mango is now grown in many sub-tropical 

 sections of the world, it is indigenous to Southern Asia (50, p. 79). 

 T. G. Thrum ( 65, p. 129 ) states that the first mango trees were brought 

 to Hawaii from Manila in 1824 by Captain John Meek of the brig 

 "Karhehameha." The small trees were divided between Reverend 

 Joseph Goodrich and Don Marin. These trees were the source of the 

 mangos known as the Hawaiian race. Joseph Marsden in 1885 im- 

 ported from Jamaica several seedling mango trees, including the famous 

 No. 9 which is still growing in the grounds of the government nursery 

 on King Street. G. P. Wilder and S. M. Damon also brought in sev- 

 eral good varieties ; and the Hawaii Agricultural Experiment Station, 

 through the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Plant Indus- 

 try, introduced a number of varieties from foreign countries (46). 

 Additional information about the mango may be obtained from a 

 previous bulletin of the Hawaii Experiment Station (46). 



Nutritive value: Mangos have a high sugar content, but are a poor 

 source of calcium, phosphorus and iron. 



One variety of Indian mangos tested by Crawford and Perry in 

 England (8) showed a high vitamin A content, approximately that of 

 good butter ; and two other varieties showed about half the value of the 

 first. The authors do not mention whether there appeared to be any 

 difference in the color of the mangos tested, but the vitamin A value 

 is doubtless due to the yellow pigments. 



Experiments of Guha and Chakravorty (16) in India indicate that 

 mangos are a fair source of vitamin B and a good source of vitamin 

 G (Bo). The vitamin C content seems to vary considerably, for the 

 English authors (8) found that one variety was particularly high in 

 vitamin C (twice that of lemon), that two other varieties were less 

 potent, and that one variety showed no vitamin C. The Indian authors 

 also report a low vitamin C potency for the variety which they tested. 



No vitamin tests on local mangos have been made. 



