14 



THE CUBA REVIEW 



Patio of Cuban House, Showing Banana Tree in Foreground 



purpose are selected. The only one planted for export is the Jamaica or Bluefield, 

 called Johnson in Cuba and Porto Rico. For the home market the Lady Finger and 

 other varieties are liked by some and in many places the large cooking banana 

 pays best. The plantain is liked everywhere, and while it is not so prolific the fruit 

 always brings better prices in the home market, but it requires a very much richer 

 soil than other varieties of bananas. 



The soil may be sandy or clayey, but the best banana soils are those containing 

 an abundance of vegetable matter. The plant is sensitive to drought and wind ; that 

 is, periodical droughts will seriously diminish the crop as will also high winds that 

 cut the leaves into ribbons. Banana plants thrive well in hot, moist and still atmos- 

 phere, and while a frost may not kill the plant, cold winds, even such as occur on the 

 north coast of Cuba, will prevent it from fruiting and maturing fruit in the winter 

 months when it is most profitable to the market. 



For cultivation the usual orchard method is satisfactory. There are two essential 

 requirements that must be complied with — the trees must have an abundance of 

 plant food and the plants must not suffer from the want of moisture. These are 

 not difficult problems in favorable localities with virgin soil, as it is rich and contains 

 humus which helps to retain moisture, and if not drained surface, ditches will usually 

 remedy this defect. But most soils must be enriched by growing leguminous crops 

 and by fertilization. 



There should be one small application of commercial fertilizer after the plants are 

 set, one larger one four months later, and another just before blooming, applied at the 

 rate of two pounds per plant in throe applications. The mixture of fertilizer used is 

 according to the soil, cultivation and local conditions. The elements are potash, nitro- 

 gen and phosphoric acid. 



