270 
withered parts of the flowers. This appears to approach very closely 
the Martinique or Jamaica banana in size and colo 
West INDIES. 
The varieties cultivated in the West Indies for export purposes 
are thus described by Dr. Nicholls, F.L.S., in Tropical Agriculture, 
CI 
There are a great number of varieties of the banana, as might be 
expected when it is remembered that the plant is cultivated throughout 
the whole tropical world—on different soils, in different climates, and 
under different conditions. The kinds most liked, however, in the 
American markets are the Martinique variety, with its large yellow 
exported, and it is known throughout the United States as the‘ Jamaica 
banana. In Dominica it is called ‘figue la rose, and in Trinidad 
‘Gros Michel’ banana.” 
Of plantains, as distinct from bananas, there appear to be in the 
West Indies two principal sorts, the “ horse plantain ” and the “ milds 
plantain.” The distinction between the two is given below 
Acosta, a by De Candolle (Cult. Plants, p. 309), says that in 
Hispaniola or an Domingo ‘ ‘there is a small white a of banana, 
very delicate, which is called in Espagnolle ‘ dominico 
The cooking plantains cultivated in Jamaica are described by Lunan, 
p. 14, as follows ;— 
“There is à variety known by the name of maiden lantain, the 
common kind being called horse plantain, which differs from it in being 
of a smaller and more delicate growth, and having red streaks on the 
stem; as also in smaller but much more clustered and numerous fruit ; 
odiis often from 80 to 100 plantains, and weighing often 80 
unds, whereas the vanh of the common plantain seldom contains 
more than 20. "These trees bear fruit fit for use in from 9 to 12 
months after the kiea hi are planted, atA to soil and seasons; the 
horse plantain takes three months to fill from the time " first shoots, 
and the maiden plantain four; the latter is the most delicate food." 
Dr. de Verteuil describes the plantains of Trinidad brie zi thus :— 
* Like all cultivated plants, the plantain has many varieties: there 
exist, however, three distinct sorts. ‘The horn plantain, from the 
resemblance the fruit bears to the horn of a young bull; the French 
re 
his 
so well ae sid Bude but 25, and o E TE 
or fingers to the bunch ; as an edible it is also wit coarser than the 
French or maid plantain : the body of this plant is of 
a dark violet ace as also the nerves of the leaves ; the fruit is 
sometimes from 100 to 130. This species is regarded as more delicate 
than the others, artio cularly when ripe. Dominica plantain: this is a 
variety of the latter; though the body is exactly like that of t 
ary the bunch, however, resemb bles —_ of the fetta but the 
is somewhat shorter an mper." 
