a. j: w. Coih'cHnn. Plate LXVII 



Mnsa varities. 



BANANA " MAIA." 



The banana, which has been cultivated from the most remote 

 times, is a plant of great importance in tropical and sub-tropical 

 climates, where its highly nutritious fruit is used as food. It is a 

 large herbaceous, slightly shrubby, plant of very easy growth, 

 having immense, gracefully-arching, undivided leaves. There 

 are numerous varieties, the fruit of which ditTers in shape, color 

 and flavor. 



As decorative plants in landscape gardening, few subjects 

 equal the choice species of the banana ; and on account of its 

 utility, combined with its beauty, it is considered one of the most 

 valuable of tropical products. Propagation is by off-shoots or 

 suckers. When a stalk is cut, the fruit of which has ripened, 

 sprouts are put forth which in time bear fruit. The enormous 

 flower stalk issues from the centre of the crown of leaves, and 

 curves over with its own weight. 



The flowers are arranged in a dense terminal panicle ; they 

 alternate with large, reddish scales, which drop off as the fruit 

 stalk develops, and the finger-like fruits are in clusters. The 

 Hawaiians seem to have possessed the banana from the earliest 

 times, and about fifty varieties were known to the older natives. 

 However, since the year 1855, the so-called Chinese banana 

 (Mnsa Cavcndishii). which was at that time introduced from 

 Tahiti, has crowded out the native varieties, many of which are 

 now extinct. 



The accompanying cut shows a few of the different forms and 

 sizes of the banana grown in Hawaii. 



