40 



Throughout north and south China the special product of this 

 Canton delta is commonly called ''Ling Nan" lychee (jatfti&^i). 

 Ling Nan ($l$i) is a range of mountains extending from western 

 China through Kweichow, Hunan and Kwangsi, along the northern 

 borders of Kvvangtung to Fukien. The name " Ling Nan " is also 

 applied to an educational institution, the Canton Christain College 

 (Stl^A^), which has appropriately centered its attention upon the 

 lychee. Beautifully situated on the Pearl river, three miles south-east 

 of Canton city, the college farm offers ideal conditions for experi- 

 ments in both wet and dry culture of the lychee. The college has 

 acquired river-bottom land, surrounded by dykes upon which are 

 growing mature trees of the "Waai chi" '.%&.) variety. When 

 these dykes at Ling Nan ($t$t) are in fruit they present an interest- 

 ing sight. Students gladly purchase the fruit by the tree paying hand- 

 some prices and perch in the branches and enjoy a luscious repast 

 (fig. 14). 



When the dykes are in fruit the trees must be protected by 

 crop watchers, who both day and night remain in straw sheds con- 

 structed close to the trees (fig. 15 ). This custom is followed 

 throughout the delta for each farmer must provide his own crop 

 protection, and lychee fruits are the favorite prey of marauders. Not 

 all the fruit of the college is sold by the tree, some being picked and 

 packed into characteristic and convenient bamboo baskets used by the 

 Cantonese farmers (fig. 16). Each student makes a careful study of 

 the fruit (fig. 17) and each class anxiously looks forward to its lychee 

 practicum (fig. 18). No inducement is necessary to popularize the 

 "Ling Nan " lychee among the American and European staff. 



Some idea of the districts and places in which the lychee and 

 lungan are produced, especially those in Kwangtung, may be gained 

 by turning to the Bibliography of Chinese References in Appendix I. 



