172 THE TROPICAL WORLD. 



with so little labour, can hardly be considered as a benefit for 

 the Sandwich Islanders, whose natural indolence is too much 

 encouraged by the abundance it creates. The Hawaiian con- 

 stantly sees before his eyes the coffee-groves and sugar-planta- 

 tions, the cotton and indigo fields, which, cultivated by Chinese 

 coolies, amply reward the enterprise of the European and 

 American settlers in his native land, and yet he saunters by, 

 too indolent even to stretch out his hand and gather the 

 berries from the trees. 



It may easily be imagined that the tropical sun, which distils 

 so many costly juices and fiery spices in indescribable multi- 

 plicity and abundance, must also produce a variety of fruits. 

 But man has as yet done but little to improve by care and art 

 these gifts of Nature, and, with rare exceptions, the delicious 

 flavour for which our native fruits are indebted to centuries of 

 cultivation, is found wanting in those of the torrid zone. In 

 our gardens Pomona appears in the refined garb of civilisation, 

 while in the tropics she still shows herself as a savage beauty, 

 requiring the aid of culture for the full development of her 

 attractions. 



Yet there are exceptions to the rule, and among others the 

 Peruvian Chirimoya (^Anona tripetala) is vaunted by travellers 

 in such terms of admiration that it can hardly be inferior to 

 and probably surpasses, the most exquisite fruits of European 

 growth. Hanke calls it, in one of his letters, a masterpiece of 

 Nature, and Tschudi says that its taste is quite incomparable. 

 It grows to perfection at Huanuco, where it attains a weight of 

 from fourteen to sixteen pounds. The fruit is generally heart- 

 shaped, with the broad base attached to the branch. The rind 

 is green, covered with small tubercles and scales, and encloses a 

 snow-white, juicy pulp, with many black kernels. Both the 

 fruit and the blossoms exhale a delightful odour. The tree is 

 about twenty feet high, and has a broad dull green crown. 



In the eastern hemisphere, the litchi, the mangosteen, and 

 the mango enjoy the highest reputation. 



The Litchi {Nejphelium Litchi)^ a small insignificant tree, 

 with lanceolate leaves, and small greenish- white flowers, is a 

 native of China and Cochin-China, but its cultivation has spread 

 over the East and the West Indies. The plum-like scarlet 

 fruit is generally eaten by the Chinese to their tea, but it is 



