12 BULLETIN 52, U. S. DEPAETMENT OF AGRICULTURE. . 
Collins, 1 discussing the mango in forto Rico, says : 
As to climate, it is much more exacting, and the fact that the tree may thrive well 
in a given locality and yet fail to produce fruit should be kept always in mind. It 
may be considered as proven that the mango will be prolific only in regions subject 
to a considerable dry season. On the moist north side of Porto Rico the trees grow 
luxuriantly, but they are not nearly so prolific nor is the fruit of such good quality 
as on the dry south side, and in the very dry region about Yauco and at Cabo Rojo 
the fruit seems at its best. * * * In Guatemala and Mexico the mango was found 
at its best only in regions where severe dry seasons prevailed. This position is amply 
supported by reports of the mango in other localities. * * * Rains at the time of 
flowering seem to be especially injurious. 
Higgins 2 has observed the same condition in Hawaii and writes as 
follows : 
In connection with what has just been said, it will be recalled that the early months 
of 1904 were marked by heavy rainfall and almost continuous cloudy, wet weather, 
while the corresponding months in 1905 were exceptionally dry. This unquestion- 
ably had much to do with the large crop of mangos produced during the season just 
Unfortunately, no bloom recoids for Florida prior to 1912 are 
available, but the conditions that prevailed during that season as 
regards weather and the failme to set fruit are quite in accord with 
the observations just presented. The seedling mangos in the region 
around Miami bloomed during the first two weeks of Januaiy, 1912. 
By referring to the Monthly Meteorological Summary of the United 
States Weather Bureau at Miami for this month, it is seen that of the 
first 15 days 9 were cloudy, 3 partly cloudy, and 3 clear. Further, 
out of these 15 days rain fell on 10, the precipitation ranging from 
0.01 to 0.66 of an inch, the total precipitation being 1.94 inches. As 
mentioned previously, practically all of the seedling trees bloomed 
heavily, but none set fruit. 
Most of the second crop of bloom developed during the first 20 
days of March, and while some fiuit was set from this bloom it was 
exceedingly light as compared with the amount of bloom. The 
Monthly Meteorological Summary for the first 20 days of this month 
shows 10 days cloudy, 9 partly cloudy, and 1 clear. Rain fell on 9 
of the 20 days, the precipitation varying from a trace to 1.44 inches, 
with a total precipitation of 3.17 inches. 
The situation was quite as bad during the spring of 1913. The 
blooming period extended from March 7 to 26 and rain fell on 8 of 
the 19 days. The black areas in figure 2 show the distribution of 
the days on which rain fell during the blooming periods of 1912 and 
of 1913. 
It is seen from the foregoing that the suitability of any region for 
the successful production of mangos is inextricably connected with 
1 Collins, G. N. The mango in Porto Rico. U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Plant Industry, 
Bulletin 28, p. 13, 1903. 
2 Op. cit„ 
