BANANA 



BAPTISIA 



131 



increaspfl hy the above process, but as these species 

 usually jiroiiuct.' seeds freely, seedlings can be more 

 (|uii-kly Ki''>wii. and with less trouble. The seeds of 

 JBauaiias sjumld be sown as fresh as possible, treating 

 them the same as recommended for root-cuttings. As 

 soon as the seedlings show their first leaves, they sliould 

 be transplanted into well-prepared beds of rich, moist 

 soil, or potted off ami (ilun^^id iiit<» slight bottom heat, 

 as the needs of tlir m..\v< r or liis l..i-atiMii may demand. 

 Both seedlings ami mol cuttings slicnilil have proper 

 transplanting, sutliciLiit ruum aud rii.'h soil, as a rapid, 

 unchecked growtli gives the best and quickest results. 

 The cultivation of Bananas for fruit is carried on very 

 extensively in all tropical countries. In the West Indies, 

 Central AnuTica and Mexico, they are raised for export 

 to the Uuitcil Stalls tiiid (.'anada. The site selected is 

 usually a level i>laiii in the lowlands, near the coast, or 

 in valleys among the liills, where the rainfall or artificial 

 moisture is sufficient. The variety most commonly 

 grown at present is the Martinique, having large bunches, 

 with long, yellow fruit. The Barat^oa (or Red Jamaica) 

 is more sparingly grown now than formerly, and its dark 

 red fruits, of largest size, are not commonly exported. 

 For distant shipping, bunches of fruit are cut with 

 "machetes" or knives, after they reach their full size 

 and are almost mature, but quite green in color. Ripen- 

 ing is effected during shipment in warm weather, and 

 by storing in dark, artificially-heated rooms during cold 

 weather. Banana Hour is a valuable product of ripe 

 Bananas prepared among the plantations in the tropics. 

 It is nutritious, and has an increasing demand and use 

 as human food. A recently invented prnnrss of drying 

 ripe Bananas has been found very suirrs^lul. and the 

 industry promises to be of vast importaiM'i- a^ tin mar- 

 ketable article finds ready sale. In the I'uili'd States 

 there is little commercial cultivation of Bananas, since 

 the frostless zone is narrow and the fruit can be grown 



A* ^' ^A--'^; 



187. A bearing Banana plant. 



SO much more cheaply in Central America and the West 

 Indies. Small Banana plantations are common in south- 

 ern Florida, however, and even as far north as Jackson- 

 ville. They are also grown in extreme southern Louis- 



iana, and southwestward to the Pacific coast. The plants 

 will endure a sliglit frost without injury. A frost of 5 

 or 6 degrees will kill tin- leaves, but if the plants are 

 nearly full grown at the time, new foliage may appear 

 and fruit may form. If the entire top is killed, new 

 suckers will spring up and bear fruit the following year. 

 A stalk, or trunk, bea/s but once ; but the new sprouts 

 which arise from the roots of the same j)]ant coutinuo 



Tip of flower-cluster of Banana. 



the fruit-bearing. A strong sprout should bear when 

 12-18 months old (from 2-8 years in hothouses). The 

 plantation will, therefore, continue to bear for many 

 years. A bearing stalk, as grown in southern California, 

 is shown in Fig. 187. 



The peculiar flower-bearing of the Banana is shown in 

 Fig. 188, which illustrates the tip of a flower-cluster. 

 This cluster may be likened to a giant elongating bud, 

 with large, tightly overlapping scales or bracts. Three 

 of these bracts are shown at a a a, in different stages of 

 the flowering. As they rise or open, the flowers below 

 them expand. The bracts soon fall. The flowers soon 

 shed their envelopes, but the styles, b, persist for a 

 time. The ovaries soon swell into Bananas, c The bracts 

 are royal purple and showy. g. N. Reasoner. 



BANCROFT, GEOKGE. The famous American his- 

 torian (1800-1891) deserves remembrance among horti- 

 culturists for his splendid collection of roses at his sum- 

 mer home in Newport, R. I., an account of which may 

 lie found in tin' Ainirican Garden, 1891. For a portrait 

 anil sliii.li. s. o A|.i.Ii'tou's Annual Cyclopedia for 1890. 

 In Jlr. I'.aiirioft's t;arden, George Field found arose with- 

 out a name, whirli is now known to be the French variety 

 Mme. Ferdiuand Jamin. It was introduced by Field & 

 Bro. as the American Beauty. Though little known 

 abroad, it is, probably, the most famous of all roses cult, 

 in America. 



BANEBEEEY. See Acfaa. 



BANKSIA ( Sir Joseph Banks, 1743-1820, famous Eng- 

 lish s<-ientist). Protedfecp. Many species of Australian 

 everi^ri-i-ii slirubs, with handsome foliage, but scarcely 

 known in ctilt. here. Prop, by nearly mature cuttings, 

 in frame.s. 



BANYAN TEEE. See Ficus Indica. 



BAOBAB. See Adansonia. 



BAFltSIA (Greek,' (o dye, alluding to the coloring 

 matter in some species). Syn. , Podali}ria. Legumlndscp. 

 Small genus of perennial herbs of eastern N. Amer. 

 Corolla papilionaceous, the standard not larger than the 

 wings : calyx campanulate, the 5 teeth separate and 

 equal or the 2 upper ones united : stamens 10, distinct : 

 pod stalked in the calyx. — Plants usually turn black in 

 drying. Baptisias are suitable for borders. They thrive 

 in any ordinary soil and under common treatment, pre- 

 ferring free exposure to sun. Prop, by division or 



