CLUSTER OF WILD, SEED-BEARING BANANAS 



The fruit is concealed by huge bracts, part of which have been raised to show the "lingers." 

 This was probably the original habit of the plant, although these bracts have disappeared 

 in the cultivated forms, so commonly seen in fruit stores. The banana here photo- 

 graphed (by the Bureau of Agriculture, Philippine Islands) is known as Virgen; it is 

 possibly Musa glauca, or perhaps a new species not hitherto described; natives ot the 

 Philippines propagate it, but only by seed. (Fig. 16.) ^_ 



