THE LYGHER 
THE LYCHEE (Litchi chinensis) is a sub-tropical evergreen tree that produces one of the world’s 
finest fresh fruits. 
The tree is indigenous to China and the fruit there 
is highly esteemed. It comes from southeastern China 
where the climate is very much like that of Central 
and South Florida. The fresh ripe fruit is about 
the size and color of a large ripe strawberry. It has 
a very thin but tough skin, the upper part of which ts 
removed between the thumb and first finger before 
the fruit is eaten. It is very high in sugar content 
and has a flavor all its own. 
The skin of the fruit retains its bright red color for 
several days after being picked from the tree, and re- 
tains this color for two or three weeks 
under refrigeration. While the color of 
the skin changes to dark brown within a 
EVERY HOME IN 
Fukien province, on the extreme northern range of 
the lychee in China and is therefore well adapted to 
Florida. The Brewster variety fruits from about June 
20th to July 10. Orchards of this variety are being 
set out in South Florida. 
Not only is the lychee a most desirable dooryard 
tree on account of its fine fruit, but it is a highly 
ornamental evergreen tree of symmetrical lines. 
Several times each year it throws out a new growth 
of leaves, usually wine colored, and when the fruit 1s 
ripe its bright red clusters present a striking object 
in the landscape. 
When mature the tree withstands nearly 
as much cold as the average citrus tree. 
few days unless under refrigeration, the SOUTH FLORIDA It appears to prefer a somewhat acid soil 
fruit within is, under normal conditions, 
not damaged for perhaps ten days or two 
unknown to our American people, most 
SHOULD HAVE A 
weeks. LYCHEE TREE 
The fresh fruit of the lychee is almost AND EVERY FARM soil. 
and thrives best on a reasonably rich soil 
although large specimens are growing and 
fruiting well on regular Florida citrus 
Its moisture requirement for best 
growth is believed to be considerably 
of the small quantity heretofore grown in A LYCHEE ORCHARD | greater than for citrus. 
Florida having gone to the Chinese in our 
northern cities. 
When the fruit is dried in the sun or by artificial 
means it becomes the “Lychee nut” of commerce, 
presents of which are given by many Chinese-Amer- 
icans, especially merchants, to their friends and cus- 
tomers during the holidays. The fresh lychee is as 
much superior to the dried lychee as the fresh peach 
is to the dried peach, but it is impracticable to bring 
the fresh lychee fruit from China. 
The fruit grows in clusters on the limb tips of 
evergreen trees that may ultimately reach a height of 
forty feet with about the same spread. There are 
many varieties of lychee. Fruit producing trees of 
the so-called Brewster variety are growing in approxi- 
mately fifty locations in Florida, ranging from 
Orlando to Homestead. Both coasts and the Ridge, 
Everglades and Redlands districts are represented, 
with usually but one tree in each locality. Chinese 
in America have pronounced the Brewster a satisfac- 
tory commercial fruit. This variety comes from 
Like citrus, lychee seedlings cannot be 
depended upon to reproduce true to parentage, and 
as budding is unsuccessful, Chinese air-layering and 
inarching are depended upon for exact reproduction. 
It usually requires from four to six years for layered 
or inarched trees to bear. Seedlings may require 
twice that length of time. 
Young lychee trees may be planted at any time of 
the year. They should be set out in fertile soil, well 
mulched and watered more frequently than the aver- 
age planting. Well rotted manure may be added to 
the soil when planting. They can later utilize at 
least the normal quantity of fertilizer applied to 
citrus. If set in low ground they should be elevated 
when planted. The water level should be at least 
two and one-half feet down for best results. Some 
shade, such as cheese cloth, is desirable the first sum- 
mer until the trees get a start, and they should be pro- 
tected from frost the first two or three winters. If 
planted in orchard formation the distance between 
trees should be at least 25 feet each way. 
THE LYCHEE ISjA NATURAL POR GS @U [Ber ieee 
ORCHARDS ARE BEING PLANTED 

QUALITY-SARASOTA 
