PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 189 



Daliring Senora, Ni-langon, Tundoc, Chinese Dwarf. They 

 have also noted specimens of an interesting form called 

 " Dominus vobiscum," and consider it doubtful whether 

 it is a constant variety or merely an anomalous form of 

 Saba. The flower-buds of the banana are extensively used 

 as a vegetable in all parts of the Philippines. 



At the Lamao Experiment Station experimental work 

 has been carried on for some years with the following 

 named varieties of bananas to test methods of culture and 

 cost of production : Matabia, Lacatan, Gloria, Chinese 

 Dwarf, and Saba. Six plats of ninety plants each, three 

 of them with thirty additional plants of Chinese Dwarf, 

 were planted as a new plantation on May 81, 1910. The 

 Matabia, from 6 to 8 in. long, 2 in. in diameter, brownish 

 yellow when ripe, has an acid flavour ; only used cooked, 

 and may be used as a substitute for apples in pies 

 and puddings. The Lacatan is from 4 to 5 in. long, 

 Ij in. in diameter, greenish yellow, sweet in flavour, 

 and is said to be the best variety of banana in the Philip- 

 pines. The Gloria is 4 or 5 in. long, about l in. in 

 diameter, dark yellow, sweet in flavour. The Latundan 

 is the most common variety grown in the island of Luzon ; 

 it is from 3 to 5 in. long, about Ij in. in diameter, bright 

 yellow, acid flavour. The Saba is from 3 to 4 in. long, 

 about 2 in. in diameter, brownish yellow, no distinct 

 flavour, and is used for cooking only. 



Collection of Bananas. The Bureau of Agriculture, after 

 having made * a preliminary survey and census of the 

 Philippine bananas and plantains, are about to establish 

 as complete a collection as possible of these fruits, 

 " which shall be excelled by none in the world. . . . With 

 the earnest co-operation of Philippine planters and with 

 ordinary success in the line of exchanges with other 

 countries, it is hoped to have 100 varieties growing in this 

 collection within two years." 



Manila Hemp. The species of Musa that is most largely 

 cultivated is Musa textilis, the source of Manila hemp. It 

 * Philipp, Agric. Rev., v. 406 (1912). 



