STHE SOAPBERRY TREE .' ;

P. H. Rolfs ..

. : The soapberry tree belongs to the family Sapindaceae being

generically knownias Sapindus and known under different specific names". i.

There are eleven species belonging to this genus occurring thruout the .

tropics nd sub-tropi s, especially in Africa. Sapindus Mukorossi (8. '

Sutils?) is' sel in China, Japan and elsewhere' place f soap. Sapindus

:Saponaria is grown to some extent in South Florida, Southern California. -

and in the West Indies. Sapindus p)arginatus,'a larger tree. occurs in '

SKansas to Texas and Ls qcutivated occasionally in South Florida. ,In

Algeria the soapherry tree is said to have .produced remunerative crops.

S The fleshy portion around.the seed contains a material, which on

mixing with water forms .a soapy like lather, hence its name. This mater-

ial may be used for cleansing, as with soap. Before the dye industry was, .

perfected to its present stage soap were rather destructive to some of

the more.delicate shades and the soapberry became a useful material for

washing the class of fabrics whose coloring would be injured by the soaps.' ...;

Seed of some of the species has also been employed for'poisoning fish.

There are other plants belonging to this family which have the

.., same property. The' sopberry distributed largely in Florida nearly '
s e p- .
fifteen years ago by E..Moulethen of Jacksonville produced fruits-

. which contain a large amount of this saponifying material...

-lants. of the soapberry tree -have bee-nr offered to the, American ...'

-trade for a long time by the Ametican nurserymen, especially those .locat e

n the Southea'te''ni'United States and in Californi.. They re now6ffe

.ed ,Or sale by the Royal Palm Nunsery -at: ne.co,. Fl.' afd-.pos ib ly by there.
-eie.s .in the .State. In,1907 ..Mr H.-.o S.,;S e : ,.ep d as gp

nd'.rang' .La-k andM- ,E. 0O. Pai ritei ea 'ad .
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TH.O S.APB1iRRICY TrEib.


Thie Boa.pb~rry tree belong to the family :apindaooae

being generically kno'in a6 tapiiLdus and. knovn under different

speciflo nuies. Thore a.~:e eleven sp.oci, belonging to this

genus occurring throughout the tropics and sub-tropics, especi-

ally in Africa. zSapindus l~ikorossi (2. utilis') is used in

China, Japzax andd olaoeL~ re in place oof oap. Sapindus Sa)onaria

is grown to some oxternt in southh F"lorida, Southorn California

and in the et LndiiaS, 3,apinlt;.s mrlrginatus, a larger treat,

occurs in .Laisai to 'exas aldl iL, cuitivwted. occaaionally: in

Louth iloj.ia., In llgoria thoe o;apberry tree haa produced

remunerative crops.

lT'ie iflehy portion arouxid the sood -conCtains saponin, which

saponifies on mixing. with wvator, hence its n.amo1e his material may

be used for Cl.:.in.g cloth, :ii i. the caso with ordiisnary oap.-

Beforo the dye industry waO perlocted to itu present stago the

chemical soaps wore rather diestr.4ctive to oomo of the more delicate

shades and the sopbeorry boaume a uooful material for washing the

class of fabrics wn.ose coloring would be injured by the ordinary

toaps*

Titore are other plX,.ts belonging to this family which

haVe the same property. The soapberry distributed, largely in

Florida noearay fifteen years ago by E. lioule of Jacksonville

produced fruits which contain a large amount of this saponifying

material. Seed of some of the species has also been employed

for poisoning fish.

Plants of the soapberry tree have-been offered to the








.,merican trade for a long time b the .snerican nurserymen, especially

tIhose loc:.tecd in the ,ou.thcasten ni .d ,t -too d ikn California,

Thoy aro now ofwir rec. i.or salo by ho th Ioyal Prlnm In'Isery at Oneco,

2iorida and. pouiLly by other arIoriOes in th-e ,tate.