20 



THE CUBA REVIEW. 



BANANA CULTURE IN CUBA. 



Soil Requirements — Liberal Water Supply Essential — Preparing the Land — Planting 



and Pruning Directions — The Best Varieties for Home and Export. 



— Poor Carrjdng Quality of Cuban Grown Bananas. 



. BY C. F. AUSTIN, • 



Chief of Department of Horticulture, of the Bstacion Central Agronomica, Cuba. 



The banana (musa sapientum Linn., chiefly) is one of our very valuable tropical 

 plants, being cultivated for its fruit, its fiber, and for ornamental uses. The fruiting 

 species seldom produce seed, and are propagated by suckers which grow from the 

 base of the main plants. Each stalk or sucker, if left to develop, will produce one 

 bunch of fruit, and then die. The usual method is to cut the whole stem down 

 when removing the .ruit. 



The banana delights in a rich, moist, deep soil, that has an abundance of. 

 vegetable matter in it. To do its best and produce large bunches of fine fruit the 

 year around, it must have a liberal and' regular supply of water. Bananas do not. 

 give good results during our long dry winters. 



If they cannot have ideal condition?, they will grow upon almost any soil 

 except a poor dry one, and give fair results. 



In preparing land it should be plowed deeply, replowed, and harrowed until 

 it is in fine mellow condition. Too much pains cannot be taken in having the land 

 well prepared for planting. -, 



The best time for planting is during the rainy season, from June to September. 



Planting. 



Select good) strong suckers from 2 to 4 feet high, with large well-developed 

 bulbs. 



The common distance for planting in this country is from 12 to 14 feet each 

 way. Dig good large holes and set the plant just so the crown- of the bulb is 

 below the surface of the ground. Make the soil firm around the bulb and, if dry, 

 give a good liberal watering and, as soon as the water settles away, cover the 

 moist dirt with dry, fine soil. 



In the' newer sections it is common in planting bananas to simply cut down 



A BANANA PLANTATION. 



