142 ELEMENTARY AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY 



suckers out of the parent stem. These are planted about 

 15 feet apart, and under favourable conditions fruit will be 

 produced in about a year. In successive years suckers from 

 the original plants replace the first stem, which is cut down 

 after the fruit is gathered. 



Average Composition of Bananas. 



Per cent. 



Moisture G6 -25 



Ash l-lo 



Crude fibre 0-96 



Carbohydrates 28 '88 



Protein 1-41 



Fat 1-35 



100 00 



According to American estimates, the following table repre- 

 sents the amounts of the chief fertilising materials contained 

 in various fruits and removed by an average crop from an 

 acre of land : 



The heavy demands upon nitrogen made by plums and the 

 small amounts required by apples and pears are noticeable 

 features. 



Class II. — Root Crops. 



The principal members of this class are the turnip, the beet 

 and the potato. 



