June 1, 1901 ] 
SuppUment to the " Trapical Agriculiurist'' 
875 
(graTeolens)signifies,ruepossessesa'powerful odour 
afid ft heavy oil is extractable from it. The whole 
family it characterised by the presence of essential 
oil, and it is said of one member, the Dittany or 
Fraxinella {Dictamnue Praxinella) that owing to 
the large quantity of oily vapour exhaled by it 
oil a warm evening, the air around it becomes 
inflammable. The odour of rue is considered 
pleasing by some, but by others most objection- 
able. It is said to be u?p'1 ii. spice or coudiment 
along with food, and as a flavouring agent in 
wine, but it is best known in Ceylon as a medicinal 
plant, — rue oil being a stock remedy for colds and 
headaches and to allay spasms. This oil is 
generally prepared here by boiling rue leaves 
along with coconut oil to which the strong odour 
is imparted. In England oil of rue is distilled 
from the fresh leaves and unripe fruit ; it has a 
paltt yellow colour, a disagreeable odour and bitter 
acrid taste. Rue was called by the ancients the 
Herb of Grace, and Shakespeare refers to 
it by this name, — 
" Here in this place, 
I'll set a bank of Rue, sour herb of Grace." 
Prom this we have the word rue, meaning 
the repentance neceisary to obtain grace. 
Riitt is said to grow wild in South Europe and 
Palestine. It is generally cultivated here as a pot 
herb. 
Mint (Greek, Heduoamon, or Heduosmoe, mean- 
ing "having a sweet smell") belongs to the 
genus mentha, of which the most common species 
found in Syria is said to be M. sylvestris. It is 
commonly cultivated in gardens, is very generally 
dietributed, reaching high altitudes. Mint, like 
dill and cumin, belongs to the order Labiatae, to 
v^hich many strong smelling herbs also belong. 
What is known as field mint {M, arvensis) is a 
variety common in Palestine. Mint and its allies 
(peppermint, &c.) possess important carminative 
properties. It was much used as a condiment in 
ancient times on account of its aromatic properties, 
in the same way that it is now used for sauce. 
Pliny mentions it as highly esteemed. It is men- 
tidned in the Bible with other sweet herbs, such as 
anise or dill, cumin and rue, e.g., " Ye pay tithe of 
mint and anise and cumin." Matthew xxiii. 23. 
The giving of the tenth part to God was enjoined 
on the Jews, and the Pharisees were very parti- 
cular as to the latter of the law, tithing even the 
smallest products of the garden. An essential oil 
of mint is extracted from the plant. 
ABOUT MANGOES. 
The April number of the Queensland Agri- 
oultural Journal publishes an interesting article 
on Mangoes from the pen of Mr. D. O'Connor, 
and as it contains much information, we take 
the opportunity of culling from it, to show, 
among other reasons, how much can be done, 
and is being done in some places, to improve 
ths quality of fruit. 
Probably no fruit in Queensland, remarks Mr. 
O'Connor, has of late years received as ranch 
attention as the mango, and deservedly so, for mo»t 
rsons who have eaten a really good mango 
regard it as the king of fruits. Comparativelv 
few persons, however, have tasted high-class 
mangnes; they are still very rare. While a first- 
class mango might worthily occupy the top of the 
list ot truits, inferior kind* should be placed 
near the bottom. Even for cooking purposes 
a good mango is preferable to an inferior one 
This reason alone should be an inducement to 
growers to cultivate only good varieties. Much 
may be done by budding and grafting us hereafter 
described; secondly, by cultivating with cire 
the better forms ; and, • thirdly, by importing the 
choicest varieties procurable. The highest class 
mangoes are not procurable even in ludiu • some 
care and expense may be nec^.sary iu securing 
the finest. The clioicest in India a-e 
said to be owned by wealthy natives who guard 
them with great care. These would probably 
be unpurchasuble, some other means would 
therefore be necessary to obtain them, possibly 
by exchange. In India, the home of the mango 
It IS propagated mainly by one of the following 
methods :— Firstly, by growing the seed. This 
isHhe easiest way and affords some prospect of 
getting improved vM-ietie?, but this seldom occur. 
My experience is limited to one instance, the 
truit being superior in every respect to the 
parent ; more frequently degeneracy is the case. 
Secondly, by inarching or grafting by approach. 
The vigorous plant, called the stock, of suitable 
sue, growing in a pot, is taken to the tree - 
from which a graft is desired, a small branch 
the scion, about the size of the stock is selected' 
a slice about an inch in length is cut nearly 
half through, and a similar piece cut from the 
stock ; they are then placed carefully tosretlier 
and firmly bound, usually with cotton lamp 
wick ; a coat of varnish, grafting wax or moistened 
clay 18 next applied. When the scion and stock 
have united, the scion is cut off below the 'itock 
above the graft. After a reasonable time the little 
tree is planted in its permanent position. The third 
is known as "Gootee." In making a gootee a rina 
of bark IS removed from a branch, over this a 
ring of well-tempered clay is pressed. This is 
kept in place by a piece of calico cloth or 
bast wrapt round it. A gootee pot, (a globular 
earthenware vessel, with a hole in the bottom 
through which a cord, having a knot at one 
end is passed) is suspended above the branch 
and filled with water; the other end of the 
cord 18 wrapped round the gootee, which is keDt 
moist by the water tickling down. After a few 
weeks the clay will be full of roots ; the branch 
may then be severed below the gootee and planted 
The fourth method may be described as the bP,/ 
It is called " flute-budding," and is thL desl 
cribed:-The operation is performed in snrina 
The plants on which the buds are placed is 
called the stock, and that from which the buds 
are taken the scion. A ring of bark is peeled 
off the stock just below the terminal bud an 
inch or more as the case may be. A rina of 
bark is taken from the scion, containing" one 
or more eyes, and of the same length and size 
as that taken from the stock. The bark with 
the eyes taken from the scion is then put on 
the stock, and it showild be so placed that its bud 
