BY J. H. MAIDEN. 755 



There are, of course, many kinds of Bananas, and the shortness 

 of my stay prevented my making careful enquiry into the names 

 and merits of the various kinds. The followinsf sorts are recoir- 

 nised, and I will endeavour to make the list complete at some 

 future time : — 



1. China (Cavendish). 



2. Sydney (so called because it came from Sydney Botanic 

 Gardens). {Musa sainentiuin). It is very much esteemed. Best 

 for eating. 



3. Pear (flavour of pear, from Fiji). 



4. "Japanese." Very large bunches. (Also known as Dr. 

 Codrington's). 



5. Pitcairn, or "Home" (the most esteemed banana by some 

 people). 



6. Plantain (J/, paradisiaca). 



7. " Putter," from the name of the person who brought it from 

 Lifu. 



Apples. — On 18th October, 1796, Lieut.-Govr. King reported : 

 "The apple trees brought from the Cape in 1791 have born very 

 fine fruit." Apples do not, however, do well. Nor do pears; 

 only one kind of pear (the Chinese Pear) does fairly well. 



Peaches are poor. Nectarines have nearly died out. There 

 will always be hindrance to development of the cultivation of 

 such plants until such time as the Islanders know how to graft 

 fruit trees. 



Apricots rarely, if ever, bear. Perhaps the climate is too hot. 



I saw no Almonds. If this tree has not been tried it ought to 

 be. 



There is an inferior kind of Quince. 



The Loquat is almost a weed, but the large-fruited sort is a 

 desideratum. 



Grape-vine. — Norfolk Island is not adapted to the cultivation 

 of the vine. It simply runs wild, and produces small grapes. 

 The Isabella Grape, however, flourishes, and is free from disease. 



Guavas. — Lieut.-Govr. King wrote on 18th October, 1796, that 

 there was a great abundance of Guavas. Backhouse (p. 274) 



