July 1, 1901.] 
Supplement to the " Tropical Agriculturist 
71 
his process and experience. If others can achieve 
a like success we need not long have inferior 
mangoes in Queensland, for every bad tree can be 
Converted iuto a good one. Mr. Knight says : — 
" It has been suggested that there is some room for 
improvements in our mangoes, and the writer is 
of that opinion also." Undoubtedly there is, and 
no time should be lost. Even in the West Indies, 
where so many fine kinds e.iist, it is thought 
desirable to import new strains from the East 
Indies. The following is from No. 24, Trinidad 
Bulletin: — "It has been thought advisable to 
import once more a number of selected varieties 
frocn. the Bast, and to this end application was 
made to the Indian authorities for the best kinds 
from the various provinces, and cases of plants 
have been ordered from the Bombay, Bengal, and 
Madras Presidencies. It is almost certain we do 
not possess all the types of various strains of 
mango grown in the East, and although our 
number of seedling varieties is legion, yet it is 
probable the introduction of farther East Indian 
kinds will be of great advantage in the endeavour 
to improve the strains now cultivated in the 
Western World." 
We are not half as far from India as Trinidad is, 
and we have frequent and speedy steam com- 
munication. How much easier, then, for Queens- 
land to get supplied than the West Indies, 
When mango plants are next imported, a trial 
might be made of branches for grafting by 
Mr. Knight's method. He says : — " Experiments 
have proved beyond a doubt that sections of the 
mango-tree will keep good for grafting purposes 
from three to six months' time, according to 
variety and to the constitution of the tree from 
which they are obtained. This gives us the 
opportunity to import sections of the most desirable 
class of tree from any part of the globe with a 
certainty of their growing when properly prepared 
and tied on." 
May not Mr. Knight be induced to go to India 
and procure a quantity of branches and plants of 
the choicest varieties ? His doing so would be an 
inestimable boon to Australia. Branches in 
Wardian cases or simply in boxes having holes 
perforated at the sides near the top to admit air 
might easily be imported. I have in this way 
received fruit trees from California in first-rate 
condition, all of which grew ; indeed, they could 
not have been better had they come from Sydney 
or Melbourne. 
I have heard it remarked in Melbourne and in 
Sydney, "You Queenslanders keep your good 
mangoes for yourselves and send us your rubbish,'' 
My reply was, " This is not so; you have much 
the same mangoes as are sold in our shops, most 
of which are poor," Those who make mango 
growing a business should bestow particular at- 
tention on the keeping properties of their fruit, 
as well as excellence in other directions ; also to 
careful grading and packing. Greater care should 
also be taken in transit. I have seen cases 
standing on their side and on end, and very 
roughly handled. This, I must say, has not been 
in our market. The carriage of mangoes long 
distances is a problem that is not yet been satis- 
factorily solved. I have eatea mangoes ia Londoo 
from the West Indies, and ia New Zealand from 
the Islands ; they were wretchedly poor. The 
cause was probably owing to the necessity for 
picking them unripe. 
I noticed on a visit to the market recently 
quantities of mangoes being sold by auction ; 
3s. per case was the highest price realised. I 
saw a couple of hours afterwards, at a fruiterer's, 
two cases, for which he informed me he had paid 
7s. a case. They were certainly a very fine sample, 
in excellent condition, fairly large, clean, and not 
over-ripe ; he was confident they would keep 
good a week or more if necessary ; he expected to 
realise 'Id. each for all of them. This is an 
instance of how desirable it is to cultivate only 
good varieties. 
There are various points that go to make a good 
mango — on the outside, size, form, colour and 
texture of skin ; inside, freedom from fibre, size 
of stone, and, most important of all, flavour. It is 
very rare to find all these conditions in the sama 
fruit. The finest-flavoured mango I ever tasted 
was at the Island of St. Helena, South Atlantic ; 
but it possessed no other condition of excellence, 
the price it realised was one shilling each. This 
and other fruit trees were brought to the island 
by Captain Bligh in H.M.S. "Providence" from 
Timor and the South Seas in 1792. I never saw 
a handsomer mango than one grown at Wickham 
terrace ; it was entirely free from fibre, but had 
an enormous stone, was destitute of flavour and 
otherwise worthless. I n marked contrast was 
one produced here, of fine form and colour, and 
without a blemish. It weighed 18 oz., the stone 
f oz.; it was quite free from fibre, and of delicious 
flavour. The tree is a shy bearer, and is this 
year without fruit. The specimen described 
was exceptional, the next being a bad second in 
size, though equal in other respects. 
The nomenclature of mangoes seems to be in a 
hopeless state of confusion. This is greatly 
owing to the immense variety we have, and to 
our ignorance on the subject. I have seen several 
distinct kinds called the " Bombay." As well may 
we speak of the strawberry as the " London," 
simply because it originally came from London, 
or an apple the " English" because it came from 
England. Eight or nine distinct varieti«s are 
known as the "Apple" and as many as the 
" Strawberry," though why they are so named it 
is difficult to tell. They do not resemble the 
apple or strawberry in appearance, flavour, or 
anything else. Mr. Parker, who has given con- 
siderable attention to the cultivation of mangoes, 
has this season been fortunate in producing a new 
variety ; it is of peculiar form, fairly large, of 
good colour, free from fibre, small stone, and of 
excellent flavour. The mango is so good that it ii 
thought worthy of being named "Bobs." 
FIRST STEPS IN AGRICULTURE. 
lirst Stage — 9nd Lesson. 
BY A. J. B. 
In our last lesson I explained to you tht 
necessity of ploughing and otherwise working th« 
soil, which work is included ia thg word *' cuUi'« 
