260 



TBE AGRICULTURAL NEV/S 



August 22, 1908. 



WEST INDIAN FRUIT. 



BANANA GROWING IN CUBA. 



Although banutiii growing is a more staple indus- 

 try in some of the British West India Ishmds tliaii in 

 Cuba, yet a lew hints on the subject, from an article that 

 appeared in the Ciib(t Rcnicai tor June last, are worth 

 bringing before the notice of planters in these islands. 



It is pointed out that the banana delights in a licli, 

 moist, deep soil, that has an abundance of vegetable matter 

 in it. Congenial temperature and rainfall conditions arc 

 •even more important t(i the banana plant than suitable soil, 

 and to do its Ijest, and to produce large bunches of fine 

 fruit the whole year round, it must have a liberal and 

 regular supply of water. If its requirements as to moisture 

 and temperature are concerned, it is well known that the 

 banana will give fairly good results even on a poor soil. 



The best time for planting the suckers is during the 

 rainy season, from .Tune to October, and stress is laid upon the 

 importance of having the soil well tilled and prepared liefore- 

 hand. The land should be ploughed or hoed to a depth of 

 at least 9 inches, and afteiwards harrowed until the 

 soil is in a fine ami mellow londition. Suckers from 

 2 to 4 feet high and with large well-developed IjulUs 

 shoidd be .selected for planting and set out at distances of 

 about 14 or 15 feet each Avay. To give the ])lants a good 

 chance of early development it is well to dig the holes about 

 30 inches dee|), and ."iO in<:hcs in diameter. If the 

 soil is dry, the suckers should be liberally watered at 

 the start. When the plants are well established, hoeing or 

 ploughing between the rows, for the purpo.se of nuuntaining 

 a surface nudcli an<l keeping down weeds, is practised by 

 many planters, and always attended with beneficial results. 

 The banana grower in Cuba is recommended, in ca.ses where 

 the soil is poor, to sow cow]ieas between the rows of banana 

 plants, at the begiiudng of the rainy seiuson, and to plough 

 in the crop later on when the ]>eas begin to ripen. In 

 districts where the rainfall is snrill, the cultivation of 

 <;owpeas, in the way inilicated, might ten<l to rob the bananas 

 ')f the soil moisture they require, but under more favourable 

 <-ircuinstances the i)ractice would be as beneficial in Jamaica 

 or Rarbados as in Cuba. 



The operation of pruning is very necessary and inqiortaiit 

 in connexion with lianana growing. Suckers that are not 

 intended to bear fruit should be renjoved when not more 

 than 1 foot to 2 feel high, and only two, or at the most thri'c, 

 stalks left to each jilant. The.se .should be at ditfereiU stages 

 of development, one being fully matlU'ed, while the other 

 is oidy half grown. Hanana growers are well aware that if 

 left without pruning, theie would be too great a nundjer of 



suckers, and the bunches of fruit would be small and poor. 



The first bunches of fruit are produced in about eighteen 

 months from setting out the platits, while the subsidiary 

 suckers fruit when from twelve to .•sixteen months old. 



The ap()le banana, Avhich possesses an acid flavour (.see 

 AijnniltiirnI Scirs, Vol. V, p. 404) is largely grown in Cuba 

 for local consumption, while the plantain is also cultivated 

 and used for cooking purposes. 



The average crop of bananas yielded in Cuba, after the 

 plantation has come into full bearing, is stated to vary from 

 200 to ()00 bunches per acre ])er annum. The average price 

 obtained is from l.")c. to 20<'. ])er bnm-h, according to size of 

 liuncli and .season of the year. 



THE SAPODILLA TREE. 



The Sapodiila tree (.4(7/ /'((.s »S'(/yj.;^( ) is called the 

 naseberry in Jamaica, and is a native of Mexico and 

 other ))arts of Central America, where it is known as 

 the ' Zapote Chico,' and is much valued on account of 

 its different proflucts. 



The tree grow^ from 20 to .'JO feet in height. It is very 

 [plentifid in some districts of .Mexico, and its wood gives 

 a most valuable timber. The wood of the .sajpodilla tree is of 

 a cleai', deep, reddish-brown colour, very hard, but fairly 

 easy to work until thoroughly .seasoned, when only the finest 

 edged tools have any effect on its surface. The grain is of 

 such density that the wood sinks when placed in water. The 

 British Consul at Vera Cruz mentions that door frames, and 

 other intericu- work in lumse.s, known to be over a century 

 old, made from the wood of the ' Zapoie,' are as good to-day 

 as when first ]ilaced in position. 



Kxperiiuents in the use of the timber in [lort construc- 

 tion, for fornung snpports under sea-water, show that it is 

 extremely valuable tor this purpose, since, notwithstanding 

 the inlluence of the water and the mud, the tindier ap|)ears 

 practically indestructible. In Central .America, the ndlky 

 juice yielded by the tree on tap[)ing the bark, is evaporated, 

 and forms the chicle gum of commerce. The business of 

 |)roducing this chicle ha.s become a large and prosperous one 

 in Mexico, the amount exported in the iia.st year being over 

 2.200 tons, valued at more than S2.000,"000 (.Mexican 

 currency). There is also an increasing output of chicle from 

 liritish Honduras. This product is chiefly shipjieil to the 

 I'liited States, where it is used as the ba.sis of chewing gum. 



The sa]io(lilla fruit is s;(id to be much appreciated in 

 .\merica, and it stands shiimient well. The trees are readily 

 [(ropagated by budding. 



