4 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
ter period cold enough to provide a certain degree of dormancy. 
It is evergreen and makes a fine dooryard tree as near the 
equator as the Panama Canal, but does not fruit there. It has 
not fruited too well in Cuba. It fruits sparingly in the cooler 
locations of Hawaii. It is grown to some extent in parts of 
India and the Malay Peninsula. In China its fruiting range 
on an extensive scale is limited to the southeastern provinces 
of Kwangtung and Fukien although inferior fruit is produced 
in the province of Szechwan. Its fruiting range in China is 
only about 300 miles of latitude. 
In a climate closely approximating our own, the Union of 
South Africa has bearing orchards of 5,000 trees, with a total 
of 40,000 trees and increasing rapidly. This development has 
been largely in the last twenty years. Their market is local, 
London and other European cities. 
The Lychee has found difficulty in California, probably 
on account of the dry atmosphere, and has not been developed 
in Texas. The tree grows vigorously and fruits well in sec- 
tions of South Florida which roughly correspond to the cli- 
matic conditions of the Lychee district in China. 
Analysis of fresh Lychee fruits by Dr. Stahl, obtained 
from trees in Homestead, Fla., was as follows: 
The fruits analyzed averaged approximately 30 to the 
pound. 
Specific gravity 1.064-1.086 ° 
Percent ; 
minimum maximum Average 
S660 pita sates nuk cd ne en eae te le 12.0 19.8 15.9 
Shell (Pericarp ss. i oe ee ee 9.3 2A) 9.6 
Pidiblé * portions GATIL) =a... 70.1 T3.t 78.2 
MGisturel Fes. Sess te e e 76.5 80.8 ieee. 
A Cid (QS actLriewa cid.) anaes wee 96 1.32 1.20 
ILL: tte giana cat sate ee eae SA, 50 1.60 97 
PYOCCHT ey cae rei ee ee ee .20 1.30 94 
ASG oc hae. eee eee gs ee ence () 1.00 .69 
Free Reducing sugars ..../..2..; 6.00 7.30 6.89 
Hydrolyzable sugars ........ 4.20 6.90 6.68 
Totalesupars ae ees ee ne 12.00 14.12 13.57 
Wen Hsun Chen reports that the Lychee is a nourishing 
food. The fresh fruits contain from 10 to 16% of sugars, and 
about 10% of protein. The pulp is acidulous, containing slight- 
ly over 1% of fruit acids which may help relieve thirst and in- 
crease appetite by action on digestive enzymes. The fruit is 
valued in China as a remedy for certain diseases. The Lychee 
also contains mineral elements which can help correct any diet 
rich in proteins but lacking in mineral content. Lychee fruits 
are a very good source of Vitamin C, a good source of Vitamin 
B, and a fair source of E and D. 
The oldest known monograph fully describing any fruit is 
said to be a fine description of the Lychee tree, its fruit, cul- 
tural requirements, etc., done in 1059 A. D. and for which the 
