THE ANNONACEOUS FRUITS 179 



reached India from both of two directions : from Mexico via 

 the Philippines and from Hispaniola (Santo Domingo, in the 

 West Indies) via the Cape of Good Hope; in the former in- 

 stance bringing with it the common name ata, or ate, which is 

 still used in parts of Mexico (e.g., the Huasteca region, near 

 Tampico), and in the latter coming under the name annona. 

 Safford is not certain that the name ata is of American origin ; he 

 suspects it may be derived from the Malayan word atis, meaning 

 heart, and that it was carried to Mexico from the Philippines in 

 early days. 



In tropical America the sugar-apple is widely distributed. 

 In the lowlands of Mexico it is a popular fruit, often cultivated 

 and not infrequently found in a naturalized or wild state. It is 

 grown from Central America southward to northern South 

 America, extending there on the east into Central Brazil, where 

 it is one of the important cultivated fruits. At Bahia, Brazil, 

 it is said to have been introduced first in 1626 by the Conde de 

 Miranda, after whom it is called fructa do conde (Count's fruit). 

 In Cuba it ranks with the mango as one of the favorite fruits, 

 and it is common in other islands of the West Indies. 



In the Orient its cultivation is not limited to India, although 

 it appears to be most extensive there. It is grown in the Philip- 

 pines, in south China (where it is known as far^-li-chi, or foreign 

 litchi), and in Cochin-China. In many islands of Polynesia 

 it is abundant. Vaughan MacCaughey says: "It is common 

 in many of the older Hawaiian gardens, not only in Honolulu, 

 but also on the other islands of the group." In the French 

 colonies near the African coast it is well known, and it is also 

 reported from the mainland of Africa. Albert H. Benson 1 

 writes : " It is grown throughout a considerable part of coastal 

 Queensland. ... It is usually a heavy bearer, and is the 

 variety (of annona) most commonly met with in our fruit 

 stores." It is not known to have succeeded in the Medi- 

 1 Fruits of Queensland, Dept. Agr. Brisbane, 1911. 





