46 THE FLORIST AND 
quickly died, although placed in the care of different gardeners at that time 
standing high in their business. Even when carried to Surinam, the moist 
and warm climate of which was expected to agree with it, still the attempt 
to make it even live was a failure. 
Nevertheless the high reputation borne by the Mangosteen continued to 
lead to further trials. Of all known fruits it is the pride of the countries 
to which it exclusively belongs, and seems to meet the approbation of per- 
sons of the greatest diversity of taste in other matters. In shape and size 
the fruit resembles a middle-sized Apple ; but has a thick dark purple or 
brownish red rind, which is hard on the outside but soft and succulent within. 
This encloses three or four cloves consisting of a soft semi-transparent 
snow-white pulp, which is the part eaten, or rather sucked, for it dissolves 
in the mouth. Its characteristic quality is extreme richness of flavor, 
without being luscious or cloying ; and it may be eaten in any moderate 
quantity without danger of surfeit or other unpleasant effects. Dr. Abel, 
speaking of it, says that he and his companions were anxious to carry away 
with them some precise expression of its flavor, but after satisfying them- 
selves that it partook of the compound taste of the Pine-apple and the 
Peach, they were obliged to confess that it had many other equally good 
but utterly inexpressible flavors. 
The word impossible has of late years been generally struck out of gar- 
dening books ; and certainly in the case of the Mangosteen, it has proved 
to be wholly inapplicable, for it is well known that both in the tropical fruit- 
house at Syon, preserved with such great care by the Duke of Northumber- 
land, and at Leigh Park, in Sir George Staunton's stoves, the plant has for 
several years continued to remain in the most perfect health. We are now 
able to announce, with great satisfaction, that the care and skill with which 
it has been treated have been at last rewarded; and that first at Syon, and 
then at Leigh Park, the plants have produced their flowers — for the first 
time, we believe, out of the western portion of the Malay Archipelago. 
We are unacquainted with the precise circumstances which led to this grati- 
fying event at Leigh Park, but we are enabled, by the favor of his Grace 
the Duke of Northumberland, to publish the following very satisfactory 
account of the cultivation at Syon and its lesults, drawn up by Mr. John 
Ivison, to whom belongs the honor of having achieved the first success. 
"The Mangosteen plant now fruiting at Syon, and another about the 
same size, were brought from Calcutta by Capt. White in 1833, and were 
most probably forwarded to the late Dr. Wallich while superintendent of 
the botanic garden there. Both plants were very small when they arrived; 
they were placed in a warm stove, and were permitted to remain in the soil 
