SOME LEADING SUBTROPICAL FRUITS. 



THE BANANA. 



The Banana (Musa sapientum) is tropical and its cultivation on 

 a commercial scale is carried on extensively in the West Indies, 

 Central America, and Mexico. But in a small way, as combined 

 ornamental and fruit-bearing plants, it is grown in South Florida, 

 in Texas as far north as San Antonio, and in South Arizona and 

 California. Amateurs who wish to grow fruit at San Antonio and at 

 other points cut off the large leaves, wrap the stems with gunny- 

 sacks, and mulch the crowns with raked-up leaves. Treated in this 

 way new foliage usually starts in the spring early enough for develop- 

 ing flower-buds and fruit. But it often happens in milder winters 

 that the foliage is held in South Florida, extreme Southern Louisiana, 

 Southwest Texas, and South Arizona and California. 



VARIETIES OF THE BANANA. 



Chamba (Hart's Choice) . Quite large, six inches long, straw yellow 

 in color; skin soft and thin. Flesh delicate in flavor, very good. A 

 leading variety in Florida, Louisiana, Southwest Texas, South Arizona, 

 and California. 



Chinese Dwarf (Musa Cavendishii). Small, four to five inches long, 

 by one and one-half inches in diameter; yellow, slightly curved. 

 Flesh delicate and fragrant. This is a low grower and stands more 

 cold than most other species. A leading species from Lower Florida 

 to South California. 



Japanese (Musa Japonica) . Bunch compact; thirty to sixty fruits, 

 oblong pointed, narrowed at base; quality fair if ripened indoors after 

 picking. The hardiest species with edible fruit. 



Orinoco. This is a variety of the common banana (Musa sapien- 

 tum). It is one of the hardiest and is much grown from Florida 



459 



