INDIA AND CEYLON 179 



rib of the leaf red, fruit pale straw-coloured, about 6 in. 

 long. Then comes the " Dhakkai," a long pale yellow 

 fruit with light pink, soft pulp (this is probably the variety 

 Dacca, distinguished by the pale green leaves and stem 

 white pruinose below, the leaf-stalk having a broad red 

 border). 



In the neighbourhood of Calcutta, Firminger (" Gardening 

 for India ") mentions the principal varieties cultivated 

 there as follows : " Champa," decidedly the finest of all, 

 rivalling in lusciousness and delicacy the most delicious 

 pear, not fit to eat until it can be removed easily from the 

 bunch. " Chenee champa," similar, but fruit not much 

 larger than a man's thumb ; bunches large and densely 

 compact. " Martaban," a delicious fruit resembling the 

 champa, and by some considered equal to it. The plant 

 has no red midrib, but the rim near the base has a slight 

 border of reddish brown. " Daccae " or " daccae marta- 

 ban " has a flavour surprisingly rich and luscious. The 

 plant is recognized by the large quantity of lime-like 

 powder coating the stem and underside of the leaves. 

 The fruit is 4 in. long, with a very thick rind. " Kutch 

 Kela," fruit of large size, used only in its unripe state for 

 curries ; when boiled it has somewhat the flavour of 

 the parsnip, and is a nice vegetable with roast meat. 

 " Ram Kela," in good condition a remarkably fine fruit, 

 much resembling in flavour and buttery consistency the 

 da cede. The stem, stalks, midribs, and flowers of a dark 

 red colour. Fruit about 7 in. long and rather thin. In 

 Calcutta the fruit of the Chinese banana (M. Cavendishii) 

 is difficult to obtain in perfection, as it is uneatable till 

 quite ripe, and on its becoming ripe commences almost 

 immediately to decay. 



In Bombay the banana and plantain are cultivated 

 chiefly as garden crops. Young shoots are planted at any 

 time of the year, and are manured once in ten or twelve 

 days. The plants are generally removed after they have 

 borne fruit once and fresh shoots substituted. The system 

 of allowing only one shoot from a bulb to bear fruit is 



