424 [ THE BANANA. 



In tropical countries the banana continues all the year 

 in active vegetation, maturing its fruit without interruption, 

 but with greater intensity during the two periods of 

 maximum temperature. Hence the first bunch is produced 

 in about nine months after planting, and in the meantime 

 the suckers thrown up grow so fast that they may produce 

 their bunch after a few months, and the production goes 

 on uninterruptedly for several years until the rootstock 

 shows signs of exhaustion and the plantation is renewed. 

 It is therefore hardly to be wondered at that the banana 

 suffers severely when the temperature falls down below 

 1 5C. for long periods. In these Islands when the 

 temperature falls below 2OC. in November, the banana 

 begins to suffer visibly, and active vegetation is stopped 

 when the thermometer marks I5C. In January or 

 February, with a temperature of 10 or i2C., there is 

 an absolute cessation of all activity, the foliage already 

 torn into shreds by the storms of autumn, dies off, with 

 the exception of the two or three inner leaves which 

 continue to resist, and generally do not dry before the 

 resumption of active vegetation in the following spring. 

 In severe winters with long periods of cold winds or frosty 

 mornings, the stem of the plant may die down to the 

 rootstock, this injury being more noticeable in March or 

 towards the close of winter, and the plant will then take 

 a longer time to recover, showing no signs of activity 

 before the close of May. For these reasons an extensive 

 cultivation of the banana in the open is not possible in 

 these Islands, but the plant vegetates very well in favour- 

 able situations, sheltered from wind, such as the yards of 

 country-houses, the walled gardens of Citrus trees, old 

 quarries, and also the low-lying open fields which are well 

 protected from the north and west winds. However, even 

 in such situations the plant suffers from the suspension of 

 vegetative activity in winter and early spring. The finest 

 bunches are those which are formed from June to August 

 when the plant is full of vegetation, and can mature in 



