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Some people like it best when it has a slight tartness suggesting apple, 

 which is before the finger has become quite yellow. In this stage the 

 skin screams if torn off rather quickly, and the flesh is fine and hard. 

 Others prefer it when quite coloured, of an even light yellow all over. 

 Others again like it in the more mellow state, when it has begun to 

 taste like a sleepy pear and its jacket has turned to a deep yellow. 

 Not a few still enjoy it in the further stage when more blotches begin 

 to invade the skin For my own part that is a sign that it should 

 no longer be eaten raw, and that it is in the best condition for the oven. 



1 he original banana of commerce in England is the China banana. 

 This as grown in the Canaries has a better flavour than the Jamaica- 

 grown China. I do not thick that even an undiscerning public would 

 accept the Jamaican — China banana. This is too coarse a fruit, and it 

 would be a most dangerous experiment to attempt to substitute it 

 for the Martinique. 



On the other hand, some of the fine Indian kinds might be tried. 

 They lie of the highest excellence, decidedly superior to Martinique, 

 though as ^e have seen in the case of upples, that is not necessarily a 

 recommendation to the public. None that I have seen are as hand- 

 some in appearance. In any case, experiments of this kind should be 

 left to the discretion of growers. Those who advocate new cultivations 

 incur a grave responsibility. The great maxim of political econ( my, 

 that prrgress is due to the pursuit of wealth by the individual, should 

 never be lost sight of. The growing of a new fruit should be under- 

 taken only because tl e grower is persuaded that he willl make money 

 by it. And the condition that he will succeed should come from him- 

 self and not be forced upon him from outside. 



Leaving market requirements, those who wish to have the best ba- 

 nanas for their own eating should grow them upon the poorest soil. 

 The small fingers of Martinique have a far higher flavour than the 

 larger ones grown on good land. 



