296 



has an edible aril and is an attractive tree much cultivated in Cen- 

 tral America. 



Nephelium litchi, the vvell-known Chinese dried fruit, grows 

 well in Honolulu, but is a slow grower and does not bear until ten 

 or fifteen years old. The tree in the Afong garden is still the 

 largest and probably the oldest and has been bearing many years. 

 The fresh fruit is excellent, and brings a very high price 

 in the local market. A variety differing from this fruited last 

 year at Punahou (Fig. 1 ), and another is said to have been intro- 

 duced that bears in less than ten years from planting out. Smaller 

 in size, but more delicate in flavor is the other (of the many known 

 species) that is grown here, the Dragon's Eye (Fig. 2) of the 

 Chinese, a fruit that plays an important part in Chinese worship 

 and is greatly prized. 



Nephelimn lougaiia is a handsomer and larger tree than the 

 Litchi, and the russet colored fruit hangs in large clusters Hke 

 grapes. It grows readily from seed and should be cultivated more 

 than at present. Unfortunately it bears on alternate years, and as 

 all the trees at present in bearing were of the same age, some one 

 must pick the blossoms and so throw the tree into the odd years. 



Pistacio z'era, of the family Anacardiaceae, yields the Pistachio 

 nut wdth a bland, oily kernel, much used in confectionary. The 

 tree is fifteen to twenty feet high and a native of Afganistan. 

 One hundred and forty tons of this nut are annually imported into 

 India from Kabul by the Bolan Pass. It should grow on the 

 higher lands of this group. 



Mangifcra iiidica, the Mango of the same family, need not be 

 enlarged upon in this list as a very comprehensive paper on this 

 fruit has been published here. I need only say that having tried 

 good fruit in both the East and West Indies I think the former 

 superior. It may, however, be noted that there are many wild 

 varieties in India eaten with relish by the natives that w^ould not 

 be liked by any European taste. 



Anacardiuni occidental^ the Cashew Nut, is cultivated here to 

 some extent and is readily grown from seed. It is a native of 

 South America and as a fruit is curious rather than delicate. The 

 nut, which yields an oil finer than olive oil, is outside of the swollen 

 stem, which is the fruit. The nuts are roasted and are then con- 

 sidered a good but rich food. 



