THE LYCHEE IN FLORIDA 7 
such water be at least three feet below the soil surface, in 
which well aerated moist zone the abundance of surface feed- 
ing roots of the tree can thrive. Conditions such as the fore- 
going are to be found in relatively few and restricted instances 
in areas suited to litchi growing, and therefore it is necessary 
to have available during most of the year a sufficient amount 
of irrigation water to supplement the natural rainfall. 
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 average fruit tree planting. 
Well rotted manure may be added to the soil when planting. 
They can later utilize more fertilizer and water than citrus. 
If set in low ground they should be elevated when planted. 
If planted in the summer and the trees show flush growth, 
they should be lightly shaded with cheese cloth until the new 
growth is dark green. They should be protected from frost 
while young. If planted in orchard formation the distance 
between trees should be forty feet each way, with a tree in 
the center of the square thus formed. This will require fifty 
trees to the acre. The center tree will not interfere for fifteen 
to eighteen years when it can be reduced in size by air-layering 
the ends of the limbs that interfere, thus creating new young 
trees. Mulching the young trees is highly desirable. 
Lychees seem to require about the same fertilizer for- 
mula as citrus, but the much greater leaf spread will, as the 
trees mature, demand more fertilizer and more water than 
the average citrus tree. After about four years the Lychee 
outgrows citrus on suitable soil. 
On the subject of frost protection, the Lychee appears 
to be about as hardy, when mature, as the average sweet 
orange tree. In most areas of South Florida, freezes that 
would injure young Lychee trees must be expected every few 
years and provisions for firing will be necessary. 
At Lychee Orchards, Inc., at Laurel the temperature has 
been as low as 23° for a few hours, but with wood as the heat- 
ing medium no severe loss was sustained. 
At present no known diseases affect the Lychee in Flor- 
ida although diseases do affect the tree in China, and some 
will doubtless develop here. 
The fruit ripens from about June 20th to July 10th. 
Bearing usually begins about the fourth year. 
Like other fruits, Lychees are subject to crop failures, 
apparently largely due to lack of water during the season 
when the fruit is developing. This was especially true in 
1949 which was extremely dry from February to June, the 
fruiting season. Trees that were well watered produced well 
and those not well watered did not hold their fruit. 
