104 THE LYCHEE AND LUNGAN 



Chinese literature records many names for the lungan. As 

 early as the sixteenth century Li Shih Cheng ^Bgr) in his Pen 

 Tsao Kang Mu <'>1fMMH) records a long list of synonyms. Another 

 writer goes into quite a lengthy discussion as to whether a fruit called 

 the i chih (Yik chi &-U is the same as the lungan. He records 

 that it was the belief ot many people that the two were the same hut 

 his conclusion was that the two must have been quite different as the 

 1 chih (Yik chi &H? ) grows on a vine whereas the lungan grows on 

 a tree. We. have not yet been able to locate the 1 chih (Yik chi 

 Set? ', though it is doubtless Sapindaccai, as some of the species of 

 this family are vines. 



The lungan is very widely cultivated in Kwangtung but from 

 all reports to hand Fukien has made greater progress in its develop- 

 ment. In the Ling Nan region, P'ing chou (P'ing chau -T^ftl), 

 Chihkang (Ch'ik kong #;ffl), Ta fang (Tai t'ong -ftfe) Pei shan 

 (Pak shan 4blU) and Shih wei t'ang (Shik wai t'ong TJHiJt) are 

 especially famous for their lungan. The best variety of lungan the 

 Shih hsia lung yen (Shek hap lung ngan ^jiiifcfiW), had its origin at 

 P'ing chou (Ping chan ^$j) and the fruit of this variety produced 

 there is said to be better than that produced at any other place. 

 Although not so large, the flesh is more crisp, the seed is smaller 

 and the fruit after drying, if soaked in water, freshens up almost like 

 the fresh fruit. The fruits produced at P'ing chou (^#H) are also 

 said to be much sweeter than those of other places. 



A Suitable Door-yard and Avenue Tree 



In the Ling Nan region the lungan is very frequently planted 

 as a dooryard or village tree and a favorite site is near temples (fig. 

 56) . Magnificent specimens such as these, which are at least forty feet 

 high with a straight trunk five feet to the branches, would make 

 wonderful avenue trees. The diameter of the trunk of this tree, 

 breast high, is two feet eight inches. The rounded head of the 

 lungan tree is well ^illustrated in figure 57. 



Cultural Methods 



Although the Chinese commonly think of the lungan as a 

 very desirable tree for shade, its culture as a fruit is not neglected and 

 some large lungan orchards will be seen scattered over the country. 

 For example at Ta t'ang (Tai t'ong ;fc$ ) in Chiao t'ang sz 

 (Kau t'ong sz^^fH^ the lowland regions are often planted to lungan. 



