A History of Agriculture in India v2.c81.s1: Fruits and Flowers of Agra
A History of Agriculture in India v2.c81.s1
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Fruits and Flowers of Agra
v2.c81.s1.1
Describing the fruits and flowers of Agra, Jahangir observes, 'Melons, mangoes, and other fruits grow well in Agra and its neighbourhood. In the reign of my father many fruits of other countires, which till then were not to be had in India, were obtained there. Several sorts of grapes, such as the sahibi and the kishmishi, became common in several towns; for instance, in the bazars of Lahore every kind and variety that may be desired can be had in the grape season. Among fruits, one which they call ananas (pineapple), which is grown in the Frank ports, is of excessive fragrance and fine flavour. Many thousands are produced every year now in the Gul-afshan garden at Agra.
v2.c81.s1.2
'Of all the fruits I am very fond of mangoes,' states Jahangir. 'Mangoes used not to be in season in the country of Hindustan after the month of June-July (but Muqarrab Khan had established gardens in the parganah of Kairana, which is the native place of his ancestors, and looked after the mangoes there in such a manner as to prolong the season for more than two months, and sent them every day fresh into the special fruit store-house. As this was altogether an unusual thing to be accomplished, it has been recorded here).
v2.c81.s1.3
'On the same day they had brought to my private fruit-house many mangoes from all parts of the province of the Deccan, Burhanpur, Gujarat, and the parganahs of Malwa. Although this province is well known and celebrated for the sweetness, freedom from stringiness, and size of its mangoes, and there are few mangoes that equal its mangoes—so much so that I often ordered them to be weighed in my presence, when they were shown to come to a ser or 1¼ ser or even more—yet in sweetness of water and delicious flavour and digestibility the mangoes of Chapramau, in the province of Agra, are superior to all the mangoes of this province and of all other places in India.'
v2.c81.s1.4
He also mentions a variety of grapes known as *fakhri*, grown in Ahmadnagar. 'Although they are not as large as the Kabul *fakhri*, they do not yield to them in sweetness,' he remarks.