THE CUBA REVIEW. 



21 



THE BANANA AROUND THE HOME. SCENE IN BARACOA. 



the timber, burn over the land, and plant the bananas among the stumps, etc., 

 keeping the ground free from grass by hoeing. In the old sections where the 

 land is free from stumps, give careful cultivation during the dry season, and, with 

 the beginning of the spring rains, sow cow-peas in drills 2^ feet apart, and give 

 a few cultivations until they are well started. Keep the ground around the plants 

 carefully hoed during the summer. As the cow-peas begin to ripen, plow under 

 and follow with frequent and shallow cultivations during the dry season. 



Careful and frequent cultivations will help very much to keep the banana 

 growing and fruiting during the dry season. The tendlency is to practically stop 

 growing and fruiting for the lack of care and moisture during the winter months. 



Varieties. 



The Johnson is practically the only variety grown for export, with the excep- 

 tion of a few red bananas known as morado Colorado. For local market in Cuba 

 the monzano or apple banana is the most extensively grown for hand eia'ting and 

 the macho or plantain for cooking purposes. For home use, every farmer's banana 

 orchard s'hould c'ontain the following varieties: Johnson, monzano, eniano, morado 

 Colorado, mo.rado bianco, and datil, for hand eating, and' for cooking purposes 

 macho and burro. 



Pruning. 



Bananas should have the suckers kept down so that there are only from 2 to 3 

 large stalks coming into fruit, one sitalk about 2/3 gro^wn, and another smaller one. 

 This will leave from 4 to 5 stalks in a hill in the varying stages of growth. If 

 left without pruning there would be many suckers and the bunches of fruit would 

 be small and poor. 



In cutting bananas, the cutter uses a Large knife or machete and reaches 

 as high up the stem as possible and cuts the ste^m just enough so that the weight 

 of the bunch will bend it down slowly, and he catches it by the long stem on the 

 blossom end. The stems are cut ofif and the bunch laid in the shade until taken 

 to the house, where they are either sold or hung up in a cool airy room to ripen. 

 The proper stage of ripeness in cutting bananas is told largely by exnerience. The 

 development of the blossom endl of the individual fruits is the best indication, for 



