author, Ts'ai Hsiang, was honored by the emperor by erecting a monument, said to be still standing, in his honor, in the city of Henghwa, Fukien Province, China. The basis for the monograph was the orchard from which came the Lychee that is now called the Brewster, brought to the United States in 1907 by the Reverend Brewster, a missionary to China.


There are many varieties of Lychee. Floridians will doubtless be interested in the origin and antiquity of the one being planted on a commercial scale in Florida, under the trade name of "Brewster", but which in China has for centuries been known as the Chen Purple or Chen Family Purple. This is well described by Mr. Wen Hsun Chen, a native of Henghwa, Fukien province, China, the home of the Brewster's ancestors:

"Though it seems impossible to determine when the Chen Purple lychee was first brought under culture in Hinghwa district of Fukien province, the first Chen ancestor migrated from central China to Hinghwa in the Tung dynasty, around 400 A.D. It may be said that Chen Family lychee which is now growing in Florida was first cultivated in Hinghwa between the Tung and Sung dynasties. When Tsai Hsiang wrote his monograph on lychee (1059 A.D.) he stated that "the tree of Sung Fragrant lychee is very high and large, the fruits are smaller than the Chen Purple variety, but its flavor is the same as that variety." Some have therefore considered that the Chen Purple variety is a strain from the Sung variety. At that time these lychee trees were already three hundred years old and thriving very well. Unfortunately most of these historical trees were cut down in 1924 when a highway was built through there. There are now still surviving two very ancient trees; one is five feet, 10 1/2 in. in diameter and 75 feet high, while the other has half of the main trunk dead, but a sucker, which has come from its base, bears good fruits. On the monument erected near the tree you can find the date of planting and many poems cut into the stone to praise these wonderful old trees. It is clear that the Chen variety was planted in Hinghwa district more than a thousand years ago. It is fortunate, indeed, that Mr. W. N. Brewster shipped this lychee to this state in 1903-1906, where it has now established a new home far from its native one. "

The Chen Purple (Brewster) fruits are round to cordate form with raised shoulders, one of which is more prominent than the other. An average fruit measured 3.85 cm. in length, and 3.42 in width and weighed 19 grams. The shell of the fruit is very rough with sharp points, the color of the fruit is purple red, and inner membrance of the shell is characteristically pink in color. The pulp is white, firm and juicy, without rag, very sweet and fragrant. It is high quality and the best lychee in Fukien province."