FRUITS 269 



for lack of these requirements. Bananas do not 

 carry well under refrigeration, but tend to blacken 

 and soften quickly. Good ventilation is, however, 

 very essential. 



A great number of varieties are known, but there 

 is great confusion in regard to their proper names. 

 Only one is ordinarily planted for Northern shipment. 

 This is known as the Dominica in Jamaica, as the 

 Johnson in Cuba, and as the Jamaica in some of the 

 other countries. A large red banana is also some- 

 times seen and seems to be gaining favor in the 

 markets. The dwarf Cavendish variety, or "Enana," 

 is a favorite in the English market, but this is more 

 delicate and each bunch is usually crated separately. 

 The " Datil," or date banana, is a very small, high-fla- 

 vored kind that is much prized for home consumption, 

 but is practically unknown at the North. It is quite 

 firm and would carry well. By a little effort it 

 might easily be introduced to the fancy trade, but it 

 is not prolific enough and is too small to ever com- 

 pete with the Dominica in the general market. The 

 " Manzana," or apple banana, is a medium-sized kind, 

 having a trace of acid which gives its flavor a supposed 

 resemblance to that of an apple. It is much relished 

 by some and is the leading kind in the Havana 

 market, but it is seldom shipped as it does not carry 

 well. The various cooking bananas or plantains are 

 an exceedingly important article of food throughout 

 the tropics, where they are used both in the green 

 and ripe stage. They are either baked or fried. 

 Thev are sold to some extent in New Orleans and 

 the Florida cities, where there are many Cubans and 



