103 



growth and unable, when planted in the open, to withstand 

 the north winds which tear the leaves to shreds in winter. It is 

 therefore the custom to plant these tall varieties in the shelter of 

 a wall, where in most cases they are left to take care of themselves. 

 The most common kinds grown in this way are those known 

 locally as the " Beledi " and " Americani." The former is a black- 

 stemmed variety of Musa sapientum, growing about •"> metres high 

 and producing a thick, round and rather short fruit of excellent 

 quality. The " Americani " is a form of the plantain (At. 

 paradiriaca) common throughout the tropics. In Egypt it is 

 usually eaten by the i dives as a sweet banana without being 

 cooked. In height and habit it resembles the " Beledi " but is 

 easily distinguished by its light-coloured stem. The fruit is from 

 2">-30 cm. long and is produced in large bunches which require to 

 be supported on forked poles to prevent the stems being broken by 

 the weight. 



MN 



The Lady's Finger banana (another variety of M. sapientum) is 

 also grown to a small extent in Egypt but the fruit is inferior in 

 quality to that of the M Beledi H and is seldom seen in the market. 



M. Ensete and M. rosacea are occasionally met with in gardens 

 as ornamental plants. 



From a commercial point of view however the most important 

 species is the Chinese banana. This, although of comparatively 

 recent introduction, is now common throughout the country. 

 Owing to its dwarf growth it is much less subject to injury from 

 the north wind which prevails in winter. In fact it is the 

 introduction of this species which has made the cultivation of 

 bananas on a large scale practicable in Egypt. No figures are 

 available as to the area of land at present devoted to the crop, but 

 plantations ranging from one to twenty feddans* exist in the 

 province of Galioub, and in the vicinity of Alexandria, &c. The 

 amount of fruit is not however sufficient to supply even the home 

 markets. Considerably more than £E. 13,000 worth of bananas 

 were imported during the year 1906. The growth of the industry 



three or four years ago by the attacks of an 

 eel-worm in the plantations at Alexandria. Fortunately this pest 

 has almost disappeared and will probably give little further 

 trouble, if a systematic course of transplanting is followed and 

 over-watering is avoided. On moderately light soils water is 

 required every five or six days in summer and every nine or ten 

 days in winter. 



some 



ears 



The best growers prepare the ground for planting in the 

 following way. After it has been ploughed, holes are dug three 

 and a half metres apart, one mKre wide and about 75 centimetres 

 deep. A layer of coarse leaves or stable-manure 25 or 30 centi- 

 metres in thickness is placed at the bottom of the hole, which is 



near 



of soil. The land is then irrigated, and three or four days 

 afterwards one sucker is planted in the centre of each hole. After 

 planting, the soil is so disposed that each row of bananas stands 



* One feddan m 4,200 square metre* 



