430 [ THE BANANA. 



the fruit, which afterwards become black, owing to which 

 the commercial value of the bunch is greatly reduced. 

 To avoid this injury it is advisable to screen off the bunch 

 by joining or tying together two leaves so as to form a 

 shelter for the bunch, without touching it. It is also 

 sometimes necessary to prop up the stem which is bear- 

 a heavy bunch to prevent its being blown down and 

 destroyed in stormy weather. 



The bunch is cut some time before maturity. If 

 allowed to ripen on the plant it keeps badly, is exposed 

 to the depredations of birds and rats, and does not 

 develop it^> flavour and its luscious quality so well as 

 when its harvesting is anticipated. For local consumption 

 the bunch should be cut as soon as the first fruits show 

 signs of turning yellow, and is huag up in a well 

 ventilated room to complete its maturity. Bunches pro- 

 duces in August or September, and therefore maturing 

 late in autumn or in winter, should be cut when the upper 

 fruits begin to take a clear green colour, as the process 

 of ripening will be started and completed better under 

 cover. I he bunches which are intended for export 

 should be cut earlier, in order to avoid the danger that 

 the fruit may ripen during transit, with consequent loss 

 in damaged or rotten bunches. In this case it is desirable 

 to cut the fruit so that it may ripen soon after reaching 

 destination as then it will keep better and will be more 

 acceptable to the retailer. 



The vigorous growth of the plant of the banana 

 necessarily implies a rapid exhaustion of the soil, which 

 must be made good by manuring rather heavily. The 

 dry foliage if not appropriated for useful purposes may 

 be burned and the ashes returned to the soil which will 

 thus regain the greater part of the non-volatile material 

 which it had lost. This dry foliage may be utilized as 

 bedding for the stable or cow-shed, and having imbided 

 much fertilizing material may be submitted to fermenta- 



