SOME LEADING SFBTROPK^AL FRUITS. 



Tli]': BANANA. 



The Banana (Miixa sapicntiijii) is troiiical and its rultivation on 

 a commercial scale is carried on extensively in tlie West Indies, 

 Central America, and ;\Iexico. I!ut in a small way, as combined 

 ornamental and friiit-bearinp; plants, it is uTown in iSontli Plorida, 

 in Texas as far north as San AntDiiio, and in South Arizona and 

 California. Amateurs who wisli t') n;ro\v fruit at San .\ntonio and at 

 other points cut off the large leaves, wrap the stems with s'mnv- 

 sacks, and mulch the crowns witli rakiMl-u]i leaves. Treated in this 

 way new foliage usually starts in the soring carh- enou,ii,h lor dc\-elop- 

 ing flower-buds and fruit. Hut it often hapjiens in milder \\inters 

 that the foliage is held in South Florida, extreme Southern Louisiana, 

 Southwest Texas, and Soutli Arizona and California. 



^'AlilETIES OF THE IS.VXAXA. 



Chamba (Hiirt'.<: ('luncc). — C^uitc large, six inches long, straw ^•ellow 

 in color; skin soft and thin. Flesh delicati' in flavor, very good. A 

 leading variet}' in Florida, Louisiana, Southwest T'xas, South Arizona, 

 and California. 



Chinese Dwarf (.Mii.\a Cavrinlif:Jt)i) . — Small, four to five inches long, 

 by one and one-half inches in diameter; yellow, slightly curved. 

 Flesh delicate and fragi'ant. This is a. low grower and stands more 

 cold than most other species. A leading siiecies .from Lower Florida 

 to South California. 



Japanese (Musa Japoiiicn). — Bunch compact; thirty to sixty fruits, 

 oblong pointed, narrowed at base: quality fair if ripened iniloors after 

 picking. The liardiest sjiecies with f'dible fruit. 



Orinoco. — This i^ a variety of the common lianana (Mnsn Knjiicn- 

 ium). It is one of the liardiest and is much grown from Florida 



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