lSll-2 



i.irrni 



LITCHI 



Culture of the litchi. 



Of the numerous fruits cultivated in south China, 

 the litchi (Lilrhi chineiisi.s) is one of the most lii^hty 

 i-stoomeil. Inith by natives and Kuropcans. It is con- 

 sidertM imlipenous to tlio rcfjion. but has been in cul- 

 tivation since a remote ilay, and lends itself to a wider 

 variety of usi>s tiian many other tropical fruits. As a 

 <lrie»i fruit il is well known, and is shippiMl to the 

 Uniteti States and other occidental countries, while a 



2184. Litchi. (Xi's) 



considerable quantity is preserved in syrup and ex- 

 ported. Like most other fruits, however, it is consid- 

 ered most deUcious when fresh. 



Its cultivation is not limited to south China and the 

 adjoining regions. In parts of India it is very well 

 known, especially in the section north of Calcutta, 

 while it is also grown to a limited extent in northeastern 

 Australia, Formosa, southern Japan, Hawaii, the West 

 Indies, Brazil, and other regions. It is .said to have 

 been introduced to Florida in 188f), but, so far as known, 

 has not yet fruited in that state, although in certain 

 sections the climate and .soil seem well adapted to its 

 culture. It bloomed at Tampa in 1914 and 1015, but 

 the trf«s were young and failed to carry any of their 

 fruit to maturity. In California it has been grown suc- 

 ces-sfully only in the most protected locations. The 

 first fniitfl ripened in that state were produced at 

 Santa Barbara in 1914. The litchi is quite susceptible 

 to trout when young, but mature trees will withstand 

 fsever&l degrees of freezing without permanent injury. 



The litchi is a small to medium-sized tree, usually 

 spreading in habit, with a iUmisc head of bright green 

 foliage. The li'aves are compound, with two or three 

 |):iirs of elliptical to lanceolate leaflets 2 to ;i inches in 

 length. In Inilia it is .said to flower in February, in 

 China during .\pril, rijiening its fruits about the first 

 of May in the one case .md during .luly in the other. 

 The flowers are small and inconspicuous, but are pro- 

 duced in great abundance in terminal panicles. 



The fruits, which are borne in loose clusters of two 

 or three to twenty or even more, have been likened to 

 large strawberries in appearance. In shape they are 

 oval to ovale, in diameter 1 • ■> inches in the better varie- 

 ties, and in color <le<'p rose when fully rijie, changing to 

 dull brown as the fruit dries. The outer covering is 

 hard and brittle, rough on the surface and divided into 

 small scale-like areas, from whic'h short (Conical pro- 

 tuberances usually arise. The seed is snuill and 

 •shrivelled in the grafted varieties, but in seed- 

 lings is as large as a good-sized castor bean; sur- 

 I uiiding it, and separating from it readily, is 

 tli( edible part, in reality the aril, which is 

 ti mslucent, whitish, juicy, and of firm texture. 

 In flavor it is subacid, strongly suggestive of 

 tin Royal Ana cherry, especially when cooked. 

 I'liminger says it is "iis delicious, perhaps, as 

 that of any fruit in existence." The fruit is dried 

 just as it comes from the tree, the aril shrinking 

 away from the thin outer shell and remaining as 

 a rath(T tough layer around the seed. In this 

 form the litchi is occasionally seen on fruit- 

 stands of iVmerican cities; the flavor bears little 

 resemblance to that of the fresh fruit, having 

 been likened to that of raisins. 



In China the litchi is said to succeed best 

 when planted on deep rich soil near the bank of 

 an irrigating-canal. A soil rich in humus is by 

 far the best, and there should be an abundance 

 of water for irrigating purposes. From the fact 

 that the tree (loes well in parts of northern 

 India where the rainfall is not more than 40 inches 

 per annum, it does not appear that a very humid 

 atmosphere is necessary, provided there is ample water 

 for irrigation. The trees should be set about 25 feet 

 apart, and require very little pruning. It is some- 

 times necess.ary to thin the young fruits, leaving no 

 more in a cluster than the tree can properly mature; 

 this results in larger and finer fruit. Seedlings do 

 not come into bearing until seven to nine years of 

 age, but trees propagated by layering or grafting 

 usually commence to bear at three to five years. Fer- 

 tilizing is said to be extensively practised by the 

 Chinese, an application of liquid manure being given 

 once in every three or four months. 



The gootee method of propagation, as it is known 

 in the Orient, is the method most commonly employed 

 by the (Chinese, and is used in India as well. A healthy, 

 well-matured branch is chosen, and a narrow ring of 

 bark removed just below a leaf-bud or node. Around 

 this is formed a ball of clay soil, with an outer covering 

 of (roconut fiber, tow, or mo.ss, to hold it together. A 

 little above the ball a good-sized flower-pot or earthen 

 vessel is suspended, and a piece of soft rope is inserted 

 through the small hole in the bottom. The rope should 

 fit the hole snugly, and is knotted on the inside; it is 

 th('n carried to the gootee, and wound around the ball 

 .several times. The water trickles from the pot, which 

 should be filled every day or two, and after running 

 slowly flown the rope is distributed over the gootee, 

 keeping it uniformly moist. The gootee is made in 

 spring, from I'ebruary to April, depending upon 

 climatic conditions, and at least three or four months 

 are re(|uired for roots to form. When the ball is filled 

 with roots and they begin to show on the surface, the 

 Ijranch is severed from the tree and planted in its 

 permanent location in the orchard. 



