136 ON THE CULTURE OF THE MAMEY OR MAMMEE APPLE. 
The roots and stems are without covering. In summer 
during winter water is given in small quantities, once 
in two or three weeks. 
Indeed, the epiphytal character and native country 
of the subject of this notice, would naturally enough 
suggest a mode of treatment similar to that embodied 
in the preceding remarks, as the most likely to prove 
successful under artificial culture : — in how far it has 
done so here, the following statement may serve to 
show. Since May, 1846, one plant has produced 
fifteen panicles, three of which are now on the plant ; 
another, since May, 1847, has produced four panicles, 
three of which are in different states of development. 
A third, during the last twelve months, has produced 
three panicles, two of which are now perfect. 
It is not unusual for the Chatsworth plants to 
produce panicles in mid-winter ; such, however, are 
rarely so fine as those grown in summer. The flowers 
in some instances continuing perfect for four weeks. 
Certainly no other Orchid will do so well with an 
equal amount of attention. 
But even apart from its lovely flowers, the mental 
associations which the very appearance of the plant 
itself is capable of awakening, must, to many minds, 
afford a large degree of real gratification. 
they are syringed daily ; but 
Appeaeance op the Eenantheka Coccinea in 
THE LARGE CONSERVATORY AT ChATSWORTH. 
ON THE CULTURE OF THE MAMEY OR MAMMEE APPLE. 
The common Mammee Apple is the Mammea Americana of our Botanical Catalogues, the 
Abricot sauvage of the French, and the Wild Apricot of the Spaniards and English in 
South America, from the yellow pulp of the fruit bearing some resemblance to that of the 
Apricot. It is a native of South America and the West Indies, was introduced to this 
country in 1739, and is associated by Doctor Lindley with the Natural Order Clusiacea in 
his "Vegetable Kingdom." 
In its native countries where it is extensively cultivated, the tree will attain to the 
height of 60 or 70 feet, with a large, handsome, spreading head, and bulky stem, and 
is a very ornamental object in the landscape. The leaves are opposite, leathery, six or 
eight inches long, obovate, very blunt, entire, shining, and of a deep green. Petioles short. 
Peduncles short, single-flowered, scattered over the stem and stronger branches. Flowers 
white, sweet-scented, an inch and a half in diameter, male and hermaphrodite on different 
plants; stamineous trees much smaller in size than the hermaphrodite ones. Calyx 
bractless, of two, sometimes three sepals, deciduous. Petals four, sometimes six, arising 
from two of the segments becoming divided, white, tinged with yellow, deciduous. Stamens 
numerous, free or connected at the base, deciduous. Filaments short. Anthers two-celled, 
bursting lengthwise. Style short. Stigma four-lobed, lobes emarginate. Fruit crowned 
with the persistent base of the style, round, about the size of a small green-fleshed melon, 
bluntly three or four-angled, four-celled, or only two or three-celled by abortion. Cells one- 
seeded. Seeds large, oblong, thick, angular and very bitter to the taste. 
This fruit is said by some persons to rival the Mangosteen, but although it is larger 
than that fruit and of a very agreable flavour, it by no means possesses that delicate 
richness belonging almost exclusively to the Mangosteen, indeed the Mammee is considered 
too strong and gross a fruit for wealdy stomachs. The fruit is covered with a double rind, 
the outer one is bitter and resinous, leathery, a line in thickness, tough, and of a brownish- 
