ON THE BANANA AND PLANTAIN. 11 7 



The next method of preserving the banana very closely resembles 

 that commonly used in the preparation of dried fruits, such as figs, 

 prunes, &c. The time chosen is when the fruit is quite ripe, and its 

 skin has become of a yellow colour, shaded with black. In Mexico, 

 in the " terras calientes," and particularly in Mechoacan and Xalisco, 

 bananas are dried simply by exposure to the atmosphere. According to 

 Colonel Colquhoun, they proceed in this manner : The fruits are 

 exposed to the sun in bundles, and when they begin to wrinkle they are 

 peeled, the skin, if left on, causing a disagreeable flavour. They are 

 kept for some time, until an efflorescence of sugar appears on their sur- 

 face, as on dried figs and prunes. They are then pressed into masses 

 of about twenty-five pounds each, and wrapped with leaves of the 

 . banana plant, or else kept in boxes. Some specimens of bananas pre- 

 served in this manner, which had been kept for sixteen years, were 

 shown at the Great Exhibition of 1851. These samples were in a very 

 good state of preservation, although a little changed on the outside. Of 

 course, these methods can only be adopted in countries where the cli- 

 mate is very dry. In others, recourse must be had to artificial means, 

 which are unfortunately more costly. A description of some of these may 

 be seen at full length in the catalogue of British Guiana, in the Universal 

 Exhibition of 1855 at Paris. That interesting little pamphlet states that 

 there are three distinct ways in which the ripe banana may be dried : 

 Firstly, exposing the fruit to an atmosphere of sulphuric acid gas before 

 the dessication is begun. Secondly, boiling rapidly very ripe fruit in water 

 which contains sulphate of lime. Thirdly, by boiling it in syrup. By 

 either of these, the albumen and caseine of the fruit coagulates, and the 

 tendency of the banana to decay and ferment is stopped at a period 

 favourable for dessication. Experience shows that the second method 

 is the best to employ ; in moist climates, without this precaution, the 

 fruit, instead of drying, becomes damp. To expose the fruit to the sun's 

 rays after boiling, trays of bamboo, as in Mexico, or of anything which 

 permits the free action of the air and light on the fruits, may be used. 

 If rain falls, they are dried in a furnace, which must be left open, other- 

 wise the bananas bake instead of drying. The heat, also, must be 

 moderate. Bananas, when dry, are pressed and packed in boxes. 



This fruit thus prepared is a very good article of food, resembling 

 figs, and its abundance and easy preparation would render it a cheap one. 

 Many spirituous drinks, as well as vinegar, are made from the banana. 

 Banana wine is obtained in Cayenne by pressing the fruit through a sieve, 

 and then making it into small cakes, which are dried in the sun or on 

 hot cinders. When wanted for use they are dissolved in water. Another 

 way is to boil the fruit, and passing them through a sieve to separate 

 the skin, they are melted and bruised in the same water. 



From bananas soaked in brandy a liqueur is prepared, which pre- 

 serves the taste of the fruit ; other liqueurs are also obtained by the 

 process of fermentation.. Vinegar is made in British Guiana by suspend- 



