16 BULLETIN 542, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
same variety, set 6 fruits from 47 pollinations. The Sandersha, 
pollinated by the same variety, set 10 fruits from 52 pollinations. 
The Paheri, pollinated by the same variety, set 2 fruits from 59 
pollinations. Pollinated by the Sandersha, the Paheri set 17 fruits 
from 92 pollinations. 
Though the best results were obtained from cross-pollination, 
nothing has been found to indicate that any of the varieties are 
self-sterile. Both the experiments in self-fertilization and the 
behavior of many isolated mango trees in southern Florida and 
elsewhere indicate that the mango is normally self -fertile. 
From the fact that pollination ordinarily is Scanty, it might be 
concluded that productiveness could be increased by insuring more 
abundant pollination. While this is perhaps true, a careful con- 
sideration shows this point to be of comparatively little practical 
importance. The total number of flowers produced is so enormous 
that it is usually of small consequence if half of the perfect ones fail 
altogether to receive pollen (Pis. Ill and IV). In practically all of the 
seedling mangos it has been observed that the trees often set many 
more fruits than they can carry to maturity, and this has been 
noted with the Bennett, Cambodiana, Haden, and other budded 
varieties as well. Possibly it might be of importance in the case of 
varieties producing a very small number of perfect flowers, such as 
the Mullgoa and the Jamshedi, but in the varieties which are being 
planted commercially in Florida the percentage of perfect flowers 
is satisfactorily large. 
FLOWERING HABITS OF THE MANGO. 
Different races and varieties of the mango exhibit well-defined 
characteristics of flowering, both with regard to flowering under 
adverse climatic conditions and with regard to the abundance of 
flowers produced and the length of time the tree remains in bloom. 
There are also marked differences in the proportion of perfect to 
staminate flowers in different varieties and in the distribution of the 
perfect flowers upon the panicle. 
REGULARITY OF FLOWERING. 
There can be no doubt that the production of flowers is strongly 
influenced by the soil moisture during the normal blooming season. 
This fact has not only been noted by various observers in Florida, 
but has been recorded elsewhere. In some sections where the 
ground is low and continually moist, the mango rarely flowers, while 
in regions where there is a well-defined dry season corresponding to 
the normal flowering season, allowing the soil to dry out thoroughly, 
flowers are produced abundantly. From the behavior of the numer- 
ous varieties and seedlings in the vicinity of Miami, it is apparent 
