The rate and mode of growth of banana leaves. 
WALTER MAXWELL. 
The quick rate of growth of young banana trees is a mat- 
ter of general observation. This unusual growth is, in 
itself, a subject of interest; and when viewed in comparison 
with the development of the sugar cane and other plants, and 
in the light of the general laws and conditions of vegetable 
growth, this great rapidity of development, by which it un- 
folds leaf after leaf, makes the banana a very conspicuous ex- 
ample, and it has led me to record data showing the daily in- 
crease in the length and substance of growing leaves. 
The following observations were made upon banana trees 
gfowing in front of my veranda, which were planted in 
December. The data may appear to cover a large surface of 
paper; they were recorded, however, during the spare min- 
utes around meal times, and may properly be called a door 
slep study. 
In the two first examples noted the young leaf was ob- 
served just as it emerged from its enclosure within the stem of 
the Previously grown leaf, which mode of development it is 
instructive to watch. When fairly started, the length of the 
taf was taken, and the measurement was repeated, at a given 
time, on each succeeding day, until the leaf was unfolded and 
full-grown, 
The two following tables give the history of two leaves whose 
development was observed in the way explained. bserva- 
tions were made upon no. I at I P. M., and upon no. 2 at 
3330. M. In all tables lengths are given in inches and tem- 
Peratures in degrees Fahrenheit. 
Leaf J. 
Seeing 
D LENGTH OF DalILy MEAN WIND. 
ata Lzar. GrowTH. TEMP. 
Se a ella anigni 
Jan. 26 N. E. 
6. 0.0 70.5 
27 5% 3.0 71.5 net ae 
28 14.5 5.0 74.0 S. 
29 20.5 6.0 76.5 N-N.E 
. 25.25 4.75 asda N. N. E. 
ae 29.5 4.25 74-0 NE 
bog 35.0 5-5 73.0 E_N Ez 
2 36.0 1,0 73-5 uuapee 
377—Vol. XXI.—No. 6. 
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