HORTICULTURE. 219 



and Iceberg. Squashes — Suininer Crook Xeck, White Bush, Scallop, 

 Boston ^farrow, Hubbard Marblehead, and Delicata. Tomatoes — Ear- 

 liest, Advance, Ignotuni, Lorillard, and Oi)tiraHS. 



The list of preferred varieties varies somewhat from that previously 

 given in Bulletin 00 of tlie station (E. S. K., 4, p. 827). 



Bananas and plantains {Kew Misc. Bui. 93, pp. 229-314). — Au elabo- 

 rate descriptive and cultural bulletin treating of the various species of 

 Mustty their botanical relationships, distribution, cultivation, and uses 

 as food. 



Species. — The genus 2fusa is indigenous to the Old World and Poly- 

 nesia, but has been introduced into other warm countries. A synoi)sis 

 and description of 35 species of Musa is given, with full technical 

 descriptions and illustrations of many of the species. The genus is 

 divided into 3 subgenera: Pliy.socanlis (swollen -stemmed Musas), 

 U i( m us a {true Mnsaii), nud Rhodochlamys (red-bracteated Musas). The 

 first comprises 7 species, 5 indigenous to Africa and 2 found in Asia. The 

 fruit is not edible. The subgenus Eunmsa contains 16 species, distrib- 

 uted in southeastern Asia and the Malay Archipelago and Pacificislands, 

 The fruit is usually edible. Twelve species from southeastern Asia and 

 adjoining islands make up the subgenus Rhodochlamys, the fruit of 

 which is not as a rule edible. The more commonly cultivated species is 

 Musa sapientum, with numerous varieties, including most of the common 

 bananas and plantains of commerce. Perhaps next in extent of culti- 

 vation is M. cavendishii, the dwarf or Chinese banana ; but M. discolor, 

 with a violet pulp, M. fehi, and .1/. maculata are also grown for eating. 



Cultivation. — Bananas require a moist and uniform heat. Many of 

 them will grow in the shade of other trees, but. require a deep, rich 

 virgin soil containing plenty of vegetable mold. In the tropics the 

 fruit-bearing stalks are annual, but in cooler countries, where they 

 have a resting period during the winter, the stems may live for 2 or 3 

 years, in all cases, however, dying as soon as fruit is produced. They 

 grow most luxuriantly in warm, moist valleys shut in by mountains, 

 although they grow upon the mountain sides to an elevation of 3,000 

 to 4,000 ft. A mean annual temperature of 75 to 80° F. appears to 

 suit them best. 



They should be planted from 8 to 16 ft. apart in rows the same dis- 

 tance from each other. The plants should be frequently and abun- 

 dantly supplied with fresh manure and well watered. But 3 stems 

 should be allowed to each plant, and all suckers should be promptly 

 removed. When a stem ceases fruiting it should be cut down, and a 

 fresh sucker allowed to replace it. Since bananas and plantains 

 require such a rich soil, the plantafion should be changed every few 

 years, as by that time the soil tends to wear out. Stable manure 

 combined with sulphate of ammonia has proved the best fertilizer. 



Uses. — The chief use of bananas is as a dessert fruit, for which they 

 are usually employed raw. Plantains, on the other hand {Musa sapien- 



