Mr. Ching Shai, of Honolulu, is authority for the statement that 
the first litchi tree was brought to Hawaii about the year 1873 by 
Mr. Ching Check. The tree was planted on the property of Mr. C. 
Afong and is now the best known of the litchi trees in Honolulu 
(PL I, fig. 1). Usually it has borne fruit abundantly, and the crop of 
this single tree is said to have sold at prices ranging from $75 upward 
in ordinary years, so rare and so highly prized is this fruit. Other 
introductions have been made by the United States Department of 
Agriculture and by Messrs. Sing Chong, Wong Kwai, Wong Leong, 
Luke Chan, E. W. Jordan, and others. In transit and immediately 
after arrival the rate of mortality among the plants usually has been 
extremely high, so that comparatively few trees have become estab- 
lished. In one instance where 400 trees were imported, only four 
are said to have survived. These losses have been due in part to the 
shipment of plants without an established root system and in part 
to the long voyage, followed by the treatment necessary to prevent 
the introduction of dangerous insects and diseases. In order to 
introduce and establish the choicest varieties it will be necessary to 
make special arrangements to insure their safe arrival. It is probably 
because of the difficulty of transporting the plants, the impossibility 
of shipping the seed under ordinary conditions, the slowness of the 
present cumbersome methods of propagation, and the extreme 
tardiness of many seedlings in coming into bearing that the litchi is 
represented by only a few trees in countries where the soil and climatic 
conditions favor its extensive production. 
The litchi is believed to have been introduced into Florida about 
1886 or 1887. Since that date several introductions have been made 
by the United States Department of Agriculture and by private 
nurserymen. Very many of these trees died before they became 
established. Of the few that now remain some are said to promise 
success. In a letter to this station under date of August 29, 1916, 
Mr. W. S. Taylor, of Tampa, Fla., stated that litchi trees sent him 
by the Office of Foreign Seed and Plant Introduction, of the Depart- 
ment of Agriculture, fruited in July. Mr. Taylor, who is familiar 
with the litchi in China, reports that the Florida fruit was "excep- 
tionally large and fine." Although it has taken many years to 
demonstrate the possibility of the litchi's fruiting in Florida, an 
ardent hope is now revived that with suitable varieties the litchi may 
become the basis of an industry. 1 
The first litchi tree to be introduced into California is said to have 
come from Florida and was planted by Mr. E. W. Hadley in Santa 
Barbara about 1897. This tree was obtained as a small plant from 
Reasoner Bros., Oneca, Fla. 2 Mr. E. N. Reasoner states that this 
i The recent freeze in Florida, when, on Feb. 3, 1917, the temperature went to 2<'<° P., killed six-year 
ol'l trees to the ground, but they appear to be sprouting up again.— D. G. Fairc-hild. 
1 Letter to Mr. Peter Bisset,.Oflice of Foreign Seed and Plant Introduction, United Stales Department 
of Agriculture, dated Jan. 14, 1916. 
