CHAPTER VIII 



BANANAS AS NURSE-PLANTS AND AS A 

 CATCH-CROP 



MANY crop-plants require to be shaded from the sun and 

 protected from drying winds in the early stages of their 

 existence, and for this purpose various " nurse-plants " 

 are recommended. Many plants also take several years 

 before they yield a crop, and it is important from the 

 financial point of view that quick-yielding intermediate 

 crops be grown between the permanent plants which will 

 give an annual return while expenditure is going on without 

 any return from the permanent plants ; some of such 

 intermediate " catch-crop plants " are also excellent nurse- 

 plants. 



Bananas are an ideal nurse-plant in the tropics. The 

 ample leaves give good shade and protection from wind, 

 and they can be so trimmed, if necessary, as to give just 

 the amount of shade required. A dwarf variety or a very 

 tall one can be chosen as seems best. The roots scarcely 

 branch, they are not aggressive in the search for food, and 

 therefore are not liable to interfere with the roots of plants 

 near which they are growing ; moreover, they do not 

 exhaust the soil, rendering it unfit for the development of 

 other plants in it. Bananas are readily propagated by 

 the suckers, and can be easily and quickly raised in large 

 numbers. When planted in favourable situations, they 

 grow without requiring much attention, though any care 

 and cultivation bestowed upon them give good results 

 in fruit, and indirectly benefit the main crop. 



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