Hekou Philippine Mangoes

Hekou Philippine Mangoes

　　Hekou Town is renowned for its mango production. The county has a total of 8,000 mango trees, with about 7,000 located in Hekou. Locally, they are commonly referred to as Hekou Philippine Fragrant Mangoes. Mango cultivation in Hekou has a history of over 150 years. According to the *Xinning County Annals* compiled in the 10th year of the Daoguang reign during the Qing Dynasty (1830), with Zhu Yuzong as chief editor and Zhou Zhongyun as compiler, under the section on local produce, the "Fruit" category states: "Mango trees grow tall and bloom profusely; their fruits are yellow with a sweet-sour taste." There are no written records of mangoes prior to this. By the 26th year of the Republic of China (1937), the *Xinning County Annals* compiled under the general editorship of Gui Dian, under the "Fruit" category, recorded: "Mango... also called 'wang,' refers to the honey mango. The tree grows several zhang tall, blooms extremely abundantly, attracting bees, hence the name. Unripe green-skinned mangoes, when salted and sun-dried, can quench thirst and relieve seasickness." The main varieties of mangoes in Hekou are the Local Mango, Philippine Mango, and Indian Autumn Mango. All are premium fruit varieties belonging to the tropical and subtropical fruit categories. The Local Mango is characterized by its short fruit shape, large and thick pit, fibrous flesh, and a taste that is sweet with a hint of sourness. It is sensitive to cold and prolonged periods of low temperatures and rainy weather. It flowers in February, often during cold and wet seasons, resulting in generally low yields. A local saying goes, "Mango blossoms are fake," reflecting this. To date, there are still over 100 mother trees of Local Mangoes that are more than 50 years old. In good years, each tree can yield up to 750 kilograms. The Philippine Mango was introduced to the county only in 1931. That year, Xie Guisheng from Foziba Village in Hekou purchased two grafted Philippine Mango seedlings for five silver dollars through his colleague Lu Zhuoyuan from Lingnan University and brought them back to plant in his orchard in Foziba Village. The following year, Xie used budding techniques to graft multiple Philippine Mango trees, with two surviving—one planted in his silkworm shed garden and the other given to Zeng Nai zhen from Jiancheng. In the hall of his self-established "Gui Ting Horticultural Garden," Xie composed a couplet himself: "No king in pig farming; seek superior varieties in fruit planting." His orchard not only had Philippine Fragrant Mangoes but also Guiwei Lychees, Shixia Longans, Si Hui Oranges, Huadi Star Fruit, White Sugar Wampees, Rouge Pomegranates, Shatian Pomelos, and Purple Grapes, among other premium fruit trees. It is said that Xie cherished his three Philippine Mango trees dearly. Aside from personally overseeing their planting, he assigned two full-time laborers to tend to them. In 1936, the three Philippine Mango trees began to flower for the first time, but all flowers were removed to prevent fruiting. In 1937, they bore fruit for the first time, which was shared with relatives and friends. In 1940, the trees produced a total of 350 fruits. It is said that the largest fruit weighed up to 1 jin 2 liang (a traditional unit of weight), measuring 7.5 inches in length. In 1946, the total yield reached 1,500 jin. The Philippine Mango has its own distinctive features: long and curved fruit shape, slender and flat pit, thin and easily peelable skin, thick flesh, minimal fiber, juicy and richly aromatic with no sour or astringent taste. It became very popular among locals. Today, these three mango trees remain vigorous, with two trees standing at 9 meters tall and one reaching 10 meters. Their diameters at breast height are 90 cm, 110 cm, and 76 cm respectively, covering areas of 8 fen, 4 fen, and 5 fen. After 1949, second-generation Philippine Mango trees grown from seeds numbered approximately 130, with 102 planted among local households and the Hekou Elite Seed Breeding Farm. Located in the southern part of Yunan County, Hekou Town is famous for its mango production, known for its long cultivation history and high-quality fruits. Currently, the town has a mango-growing area of 1,200 mu, spread across 11 village committees. The main varieties include Local Mango, Philippine Fragrant Mango, Indian Autumn Mango, Purple Flower Mango, Yuexi No. 1, Red Elephant, and Apple Mango. Among these, the Philippine Fragrant Mango, Yuexi No. 1, and Apple Mango are considered the best in quality, while the Local Mango, Philippine Fragrant Mango, and Yuexi No. 1 lead in yield. In normal years, the town’s total mango output is around 400 tons, and in bumper years, it can exceed 1,000 tons. (Yunfu)