FRUITS AND NUTS 125 



When grown from seed the litchi does not fruit until 10 years 

 of age or older. The fresh fruit contains 1^2 per cent, of pro- 

 tein and 8.5 per cent, of sugar. In a dried condition the rind 

 becomes a thin papery shell, while the sweet pulp shrinks 

 away from the rind in a mass surrounding the seed. The litchi 

 was brought to Florida in 1886 and is grown in various locali- 

 ties in the southern part of the State but apparently has not 

 done well. 



The longan (N. longana) is a native of Eastern Bengal. The 

 tree and fruit much resemble those of the litchi but the fruit 

 is of inferior flavor and value. 



The rambutan (N. lappaceum) is a large fine tree with good 

 spread of branches. It is a native of the Federated Malay 

 States. The fruit is produced in clusters and is orange or 

 red in color and about J^ inch in diameter. Like the litchi, 

 the fruit has one seed which is surrounded with a white acid 

 pulp of rather agreeable flavor. The rambutan is propagated 

 by seed or grafting but as a matter of fact is little cultivated 

 anywhere. 



ROSELLE 



The roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is an annual semishrubby 

 mallow about 4 to 10 feet high with palmately five-parted 

 leaves and handsome sessile yellow flowers with a crimson 

 eye. It is a native of the West Indies and is now quite ex- 

 tensively cultivated in India, Queensland, Ceylon, the West In- 

 dies, Hawaii, the Philippines, Florida, and California. The 

 edible portion of the fruit consists of the greatly thickened 

 calyx leaves which are of a brilliant crimson or wine color 

 when ripe. The fruit ripens about 3 weeks after flowering. 



The roselle is propagated by seed either planted in the field 

 or in the nursery, from which seedlings are later transplanted 

 when they reach a height of 6 to 18 inches. The best variety 

 of roselle is perhaps the Victor. A poor variety with small 

 fruit has been introduced into various countries from Africa 



