Bananas fruited in the Edinburgh Botanic Garden. 505 



Art. V. Notes on the different Kinds of Banana "which have Jruited 

 in the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, arranged in the Order 

 in which they are valued as fruit-bearing Plants. By James 

 M'Nab, Superintendant of the Caledonian Horticultural Society's 

 Garden, Inverleith. 



1. MifsA sapientum var. st. helenensis (the St. Helena Banana) 

 grows to the height of 14 ft. The average weight of each bunch of 

 fruit varies from 60 lb. to 80 lb., being double the weight of any 

 of the other varieties that have yet fruited. This variety was in- 

 troduced into the Edinburgh Garden from St. Helena in 1832; 

 but, though cultivated in St. Helena, it cannot be indigenous 

 there. It is not only the most prolific variety that has fruited 

 here, but it is also high-flavoured; and, where head-room can be 

 afforded for bananas, it of all others is the most worthy of culti- 

 vation. The fruit of this variety is brought to a much larger 

 size, by frequent tubbing and rich soil, than that of any of the 

 other cultivated sorts can be made to attain. Strong-grown 

 plants have produced all their leaves 14 ft. long and 3 ft. broad. 



2. Musa. s. var. d&cca (the Dacca Banana) is the next in 

 point of value. Its average height of stem is 7 ft., producing 

 clusters from 101b. to 20 lb. weight. The fruit is smaller and 

 drier than that of the St. Helena Banana, but perhaps higher 

 flavoured. 



3. Musa s. var. Cavendishn (the Duke of Devonshire's Ba- 

 nana), syn. M. s. chinensis, is valuable on account of its fruiting 

 at a small size. Few of the fruit, however, become so plump as 

 that of the other varieties ; besides, it has a great tendency to 

 smother one half of each cluster in the folds of the leaves, unless 

 very great heat be given just at the time it is developing its 

 flower spike. This extra heat often tends to the injury of other 

 plants growing along with it; and therefore a small house should 

 be allotted for the purpose of growing this variety. 



Other musas have fruited in the Botanic Garden, such as 

 Musa paradisiaca L. and the common Musa sapientum L. ; 

 but the clusters of fruit of both species are small compared 

 with those of the St. Helena Banana. The flavour is also inferior 

 to it, as well as to the M. s. dacca and M. s. Cavendishn. 



Two other sorts are now in fruit, viz. the French Banana from 

 Jamaica, and the Strawberry Apple-flavoured Banana from the 

 Mauritius ; but nothing can be said of the merits of these va- 

 rieties at present. 



Since the above was written, Mr. M'Nab informs us that the 

 Strawberry Apple-flavoured Banana ripened its fruit about the 

 20th of July ; and " that, in point of flavour, it is considered one 

 of the best that has yet fruited. When quite ripe, it possesses a 

 most agreeable acid or sharpness, which" will cause it to be a fa- 



