110 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
be profitably marketed in large supply, 
the demand being almost unlimited. 
The mango requiring from three to 
five years to come into bearing has been 
grown in a limited way for years, but 
since the introduction of choice East In¬ 
dian varieties its cultivation has grown 
wonderfully and one kind has been fruit¬ 
ed sufficiently to create great enthusiasm 
among both growers and market men in 
the North. The fruit from seedling 
trees is very stringy and too' strong of 
turpentine scent and flavor for strangers 
to like, yet has been shipped sparingly for 
years being salable only in our southern 
coast cities, while the finer kinds grown 
from grafted trees find instant sale in all 
markets at excellent prices. The fruit of 
the best East Indian sorts is free from 
fibre, and is of a tender lusciousness only 
comparable to a perfect, dead-ripe, free¬ 
stone peach. If one intends growing a 
mango at all, by all means set a grafted 
tree as it requires no more care than a 
seedling and produces fruit far superior 
to any seedling two years from the graft. 
The Mulgoba is the oldest East Indian 
variety in the State, but we now have 
about forty other kinds, being the cream 
of East Indian varieties. A number of 
these were introduced by myself begin¬ 
ning in 1887 from seed of selected fruit 
grown at Saharanpur, Northwest Prov¬ 
ince of India where the finest mangoes in 
the world are produced. The cold weath¬ 
er of the next few years killed out these 
trees and then I began importing grafted 
trees from the same locality which are 
now well established; several have fruit¬ 
ed, all of excellent quality. One or two 
other enthusiasts have also imported 
grafted varieties and the Department of 
Agriculture has added considerably to 
the number, all of which are flourishing. 
The fruit of the mango must be shipped 
by express to ensure delivery in perfect 
condition, and may thus be sent to all 
parts of the country. I have personally 
sent mangoes to California, Colorado, 
Illinois, Ontario, New York and Wash¬ 
ington City in perfect order. Here 
again, as in shipping all our more deli¬ 
cate produce, comes in the matter of cost 
of handling by express, and it seems a 
great business may be developed in Flo¬ 
rida by the proper co-operation of grow¬ 
er and express companies. It may be 
that with installation of a Parcel Post 
service by the Postoffice Department 
such relief will be given the express com¬ 
panies that they can give adequate atten¬ 
tion to shipments of fruit at a lower rate 
than now exists. The people of Florida 
should feel especially interested in a 
Parcel Post service, but so far they have 
made little effort as compared with Pa¬ 
cific Coast people, to hasten forward this 
much to be desired institution. The pro¬ 
duction of mangoes can be profitably done 
in the open air all along the coasts of 
South Florida and in the interior of the 
State with slight protection, such as af¬ 
forded by cheap sheds or wind breaks 
supplemented by occasional firing. 
Bananas are very susceptible to dam¬ 
age by frost, but the more hardy kinds 
can be grown largely even where the 
leaves are frozen off every winter, the 
stalk being seldom injured and throwing 
up growth again quickly. The most val¬ 
uable sort for general growth are the 
Hart’s Choice, or Lady Finger, a very 
hardy and vigorous kind with delicious 
fruit. We have the Orinoco', or Horse 
