78 



other. The flowers spring up through the center of this sheath- 

 stem, in the form of spikes, along which the flowers are arranged. 



It is easily propagated by suckers, and grows in almost any 

 soil except sand or one composed of calcareous matter. A mean 

 temperature of 65° to 68° Fahr. is suitable for the cultivation of 

 the bananas, but the plantain requires at least 3'^ more. 



The young suckers will bear fruit in about a year, each sucker 

 producing fruit weighing from 25 to as much as 90 lbs. Unlike 

 the coconut or cocoa tree the plantation is not a permanent one, 

 and must be regularly renewed with young plants. 



The Nutritive Value of the Banana. 



The celebrated Humboldt stated that "one acre under plantams 

 yielded as much nutritious food as 144 acres under wheat." A 

 startling statement indeed, yet one that is iiow accepted as cor- 

 rect by those whom experience of the culture has qualified to 

 judge. 



The banana's value as a food is, naturally, what first engages 

 our attention. In this connection it is impossible to over-state its 

 importance to the native of the countries in which it grows. The 

 native may plant a sucker from an old tree in the moist bank of 

 some river and at the end of ten months gather the first crop. 

 The year following the clusters may weigh 60 ])ounds each. No 

 wonder the native finds no necessity to exert himself, but, in many 

 instances, relies upon the banana solely for his sustenance. The 

 nourishing qualities of the fruit are now fully established, and it 

 can be taken when food of any other kind is inadvisable. Jdic 

 growth of the banana in popularity in this country has been phe- 

 nomenal. Those of us who have reached middle age can remem- 

 ber well the first tentative introduction into the fruiterer's shop. 

 For some time the imports increased only slightly. People did 

 not understand the fruit ; the fact that it should be consumed only 

 when fully ripe was hardly known, and even the condition of 

 ri]:)cness was mistaken for (me of decay. With better knowledge 

 of the banana, however, its ])oi)ularity grew apace imtil the im- 

 ports today are estimated to amount to the value of $10,000,000. 



I'rade Still hi Its hifaney. 



Notwithstanding this immense body of imports of bananas, it 

 is impossible to come to any other conclusion than that the banana 

 trade in this country is still in ils infancy. Tlu' i)lant is so fecniid. 

 it grows with such luxiu-iance .and is so easy of cultivation that 

 there seems If) be no Hunt to ])ro(lncti(in. As regards the con- 

 sumer's side, the need of a cheap, wholesome and ntnirishing 

 food, in Lr)ndon alone, is notorious and urgent. I'lverv day sees 

 the po])ularity of the lianana increase and spread, ever\- d;i\- its 



