114 THE LYCHEE AND LUNGAN 



We have seen that unusual precautions are necessary to 

 guarantee the successful introduction of lychee seeds and that this 

 method offers little encouragement for the acquisition of the best 

 varieties as seeds of these are not viable. 



There are great differences in the varieties of both the lychee 

 and the lungan and it is not easy to be sure that one has secured the 

 best stock unless he has personally supervised the choice of the 

 branches to be layered. Then, too, it is difficult to know which 

 varieties are best suited to the particular conditions under considera- 

 tion. 



After the trees are selected with regard to their fruiting 

 qualifications extreme precautions must be taken to have them clean 

 and to have the soil in which they are introduced free from insect 

 enemies and disease. It is of vital importance that the insects and 

 diseases attacking these fruits in China are not introduced into other 

 countries. 



Upon arrival in the new country the plants must be cared for 

 by only those who have made special study of the natural habitat of 

 these plants. The most careful protection against frost should be 

 given and the highest cultural methods administered, especially in the 

 case of the lychee. A good loam soil, -extraordinary quantities of 

 water in the soil and air, and sufficient plant food in available condi- 

 tion should be guaranteed to the lychee if success is to be assured. 



The hardier varieties of the lungan give every promise of 

 enduring the climate of southern Florida and California. But in the 

 planting of any lychee trees it must be remembered that young trees 

 are especially susceptible to frost and must be protected. This can 

 doubtless be done in much the same way as orange and lemon trees 

 are protected. Hsu Po (f&HO 1 , in speaking of cultural methods in 

 Fukien, says: "The village people who love their trees burn rice 

 straw under chem and then the cold has no ill effects. In fall and 

 winter they use wet clay and manure to protect the roots. Dead 

 branches are cut off in order not to give trouble to the whole trunk." 

 The Chinese recognize that excessive cold is one of the most deadly 



1 HSU P'O (&M), Li Chih P'u (^ft) in Kit Chin Tu Shu Chi 

 Cheng (-^ISft3l;), Po Wu Hui Pien UfftgiB), Ts'ao Muh Tien 

 (?**), section 274 (fc-lHrHW), U Chih Pu 2 (&*&-), paffr 4 



