110 



Yearbook of the Department of Agriculture. 



and for many years it has been known in several sections 

 among fruit growers, but it is only during the last 12 or 15 

 years that its real value has become widely appreciated. 



The fruits to which attention is directed in this paper are 



varieties which, though admittedly falling short of perfection, 



are believed to possess valuable characteristics which render 



1 them worthy of the attention of fruit growers in the districts 



to which by experience they may be found to be adapted. 



It should be stated that the Department of Agriculture 

 has no stock of these varieties for distribution. 



BANANA APPLE. 



Synonyms: Flory, Flory Banana, Winter Banana. 



[PLATE VII.] 



EARLY HISTORY. 



About the year 1873 or 1874 the late David Flory, sr., 

 planted at his homestead, which was located 5 miles east of 

 Logansport and 1 mile south of Adamsboro, Cass County, 

 Ind., 50 apple trees which he had grown from seed for the 

 purpose of having a few stocks on which to graft desirable 

 varieties. The next year, when grafting the trees, he noticed 

 that one of them showed a marked difference from the 

 others in the fine, thrifty growth it had made. Mr. Flory 

 was impressed with its promising appearance and decided 

 to retain it until it should bear fruit. 1 Accordingly the tree 

 was left ungrafted. It came into bearing quite young, pro- 

 ducing fruit which was so pleasing to its owner that he 

 named the apple, calling it "Flory Banana." 



In 1890 this variety was introduced to t the trade by the 

 Greening Nursery Co. under the name " Winter Banana." 2 

 This name is reduced to Banana to bring it into harmony 

 with the code of nomenclature of the American Pomological 

 Society. The original tree is still standing and in fair con- 

 dition; the branches on one side are reported to show some 

 decay as a result of injudicious pruning. It bore a good 

 crop of apples in 1913. 1 



DESCRIPTION. 



Form roundish to roundish conic, slightly angular, sometimes slightly 

 oblate; size large; cavity regular, rather large, moderately deep, slope 

 gradual, sometimes slightly russeted; stem medium in size and length; 



1 Letter from D. M. Flory, November, 1913. 



2 Letter from the Greening Nursery Co., November, 1913. 



