FRUIT CULTURE 175 



grow into large linger-like fruits, which are borne in combs or 

 clusters. The banana fruit, or plantain, as it is generally called in 

 the Eastern Tropics, may be said to be to the inhabitants of the 

 torrid zone what bread and potatoes are to those of the North 

 temperate zone. It is a highly nutritious and easily digested food, 

 containing practically all the elements necessary to the human 

 body ; according to The Lancet, the starch of the banana is much 

 more digestible than are the cereal starches. The tree will grow 

 in any ordinarily good soil, provided it is sufficiently moist and 

 well-drained ; it is essentially suited to a hot and moist climate, 

 but will also thrive in a dry climate under irrigation, and up to 

 5,000 ft. in sheltered valleys. A windy situation and a sandy 

 calcareous soil are both unsuited to it. Propagation is effected 

 by offshoots or suckers, and these may be planted out direct at a 

 distance of 12 ft. by 12 ft. apart, good large holes, tilled with well- 

 manured soil, being first prepared for them. Fertile seed is rarely 

 produced by cultivated varieties. The plant will throw out 

 several suckers, forming a clump, \vhich should not be allowed to 

 exceed live or six stems. The clumps should from time to time be 

 moulded up with surface soil and any mulch of leaves, etc., avail- 

 able. The first bunches of fruit may be obtained about a year from 

 the time of planting, while the subsidiary suckers produce fruit when 

 from twelve to sixteen months old. Each stem as it fruits dies, and 

 others take its place, the clump thus continuing productive for 

 several years. Under good tillage, an acre is considered to pro- 

 duce 300 to 400 or more bunches annually. The plants will 

 respond well to manuring and deep tillage. An application of a 

 mixed fertiliser composed of (for an acre) 200 Ib. sulphate of 

 potash, 250 Ib. sulphate of ammonia and 450 Ib. superphosphate, 

 is recommended by growers in the West Indies. All leaves and 

 trash should be returned to the soil. 



VARIETIES. A great number of varieties occur in cultivation. Of 

 those grown in Ceylon the two best are doubtless Snwandel and 

 Koliknttn. Less superior kinds are, however, the most cultivated 

 (because the most prolific and easiest of cultivation), such as Einbnl- 

 hoiutarawala, Anamaln. and Rath-kchd, or forms of these. 



The following are the principal varieties met with in Ceylon : 



Anamaln (fingers stout, rather angular, sub-acid, large bunches) ; Bin- 

 kehcl or Dwarf plantain (similar to Anamaln, fingers thickly set, 

 smooth yellow skin) ; Embnl-hondarawala (most common kind 

 met with in markets and bazaars, fingers straight, fragrant, sub- 

 icid) ; Koli-knttn (fingers large and stout, loose-skinned, sweet. 



