FRUITS AND NUTS 125 



When grown from seed the litchi does not fruit until lo years 

 of age or older. The fresh fruit contains 13/2 per cent, of pro- 

 tein and 8.5 per cent, of sugar. In a dried condition the rind 

 becomes a thin papery shell, while the sweet pulp shrinks 

 away from the rind in a mass surrounding the seed. The litchi 

 was brought to Florida in 1886 and is grown in various locali- 

 ties in the southern part of the State but apparently has not 

 done well. 



The longan (N. longana) is a native of Eastern Bengal. The 

 tree and fruit much resemble those of the litchi but the fruit 

 is of inferior flavor and value. 



The rambutan (AT. lappaceum) is a large fine tree with good 

 spread of branches. It is a native of the Federated Malay 

 States. The fruit is produced in clusters and is orange or 

 red in color and about yi inch in diameter. Like the litchi, 

 the fruit has one seed which is surrounded with a white acid 

 pulp of rather agreeable flavor. The rambutan is propagated 

 by seed or grafting but as a matter of fact is little cultivated 

 anywhere. 



ROSELLE 



The roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is an annual semishrubby 

 mallow about 4 to 10 feet high with palmately five-parted 

 leaves and handsome sessile yellow flowers with a crimson 

 eye. It is a native of the West Indies and is now quite ex- 

 tensively cultivated in India, Queensland, Ceylon, the West In- 

 dies, Hawaii, the Philippines, Florida, and California. The 

 edible portion of the fruit consists of the greatly thickened 

 calyx leaves which are of a brilliant crimson or wine color 

 when ripe. The fruit ripens about 3 weeks after flowering. 



The roselle is propagated by seed either planted in the field 

 or in the nursery, from which seedlings are later transplanted 

 when they reach a height of 6 to 18 inches. The best variety 

 of roselle is perhaps the Victor. A poor variety with small 

 fruit has been introduced into various countries from Africa 



