cultivated at Leigh Park. 507 



Like the other varieties of banana, it is easily propagated by 

 suckers, which should be removed when about 2 ft. long, potted, 

 and plunged into bottom heat until they are established; they 

 may then be kept in 'small compass, until wanted to plant out for 

 fruiting. 



Tubs, or a pit with brick partitions, about 3^ ft. square, will 

 be suitable for fruiting plants. Use plenty of drainage, and fill 

 the tubs with the following compost: about equal portions of 

 light turfy loam, and well-rotted dung from the hotbeds, and 

 add a small quantity of sand. This, or any similar light, rich, 

 porous soil, will suit bananas well. Let the mixture be roughly 

 chopped, and pressed gently into the tub ; plant rather high, and 

 allow for the soil settling a little. Occasional watering with 

 liquid manure will add to the vigour of the plants. 



Syringe the house every afternoon in fine weather, except 

 when the fruit is ripening. While the plants are growing ra- 

 pidly keep the roots rather moist, but as soon as the fruit has 

 acquired its full size withhold water entirely ; and when any of the 

 fruits begin to change colour cut the cluster, and hang it up in a 

 dry airy room to ripen gradually. 



The summer temperature of our stove is 65° min. and 85° or 

 more with sun heat; winter temperature, 65° min. 75° max. The 

 bananas that ripen in winter are but little inferior to the sum- 

 mer fruit: but those plants that show fruit in December or 

 January have generally very short flower stems ; and, although 

 the fruits are equally numerous, the cluster is generally less 

 handsomely developed than those that are produced in spring or 

 summer. 



Our plants of M. Cavendish?'/ vary in produce from bunches 

 of fruit weighing 30 lb. to bunches weighing 45 lb. ; those of the 

 Dacca variety from 40 lb. to 55 lb. Twenty plants of M. s. 

 CavendishzY may be fruited in a pit 30 ft. by 15 ft.; an equal 

 weight of pine-apples might be grown in the same space ; but 

 much additional room would be required to forward successive 

 pine plants, whereas young plants of Mus<z might be kept in 

 little compass without injury. Healthy young plants put into 

 fruiting-tubs in April or May will show fruit in the autumn, 

 and ripen their fruits in the following May or June. 



It will take from four and a half to seven months from the 

 time the banana is in flower until it is fit for the table, according 

 to the season of the year, temperature, &c. The plants make 

 but little progress during the dark winter months. 



The banana does not produce seeds, but produces excellent 

 fruit at all seasons, although they often flower very imperfectly. 



A banana-house for fruiting M. s. CavendishzY, if 40 ft. long 

 by 20 ft. wide, with a span roof resting on brick walls about 8 ft. 

 high, would give room for a path along the sides and ends of the 



