41 



kind in all characters of the fruit ; the shape, thickness of the skin, 

 texture, and taste are all unusual. It is not of much use for eating 

 raw like other bananas, but cooked it is the best of all." 



Chinese or dwarf: fruit curved, 7 to 9 inches loner, greenish 

 yellow ; produces the heaviest bunches of all, often exceeding 80 pounds 

 and containing 200 fruits. " Sometimes the bunches appear nearly as 

 long as the stem of the plant bearing them." 



Venezuela. 



An account of the principal varieties of banana recognised in Venezuela 

 is given by Diaz in El Agricultor Venezolano (1877), pp. 37-43. 



El platano or platano arton is the common plantain widely distri- 

 buted throughout tropical America. 



Platano dominico, the royal or small-fruited plantain, is very similar 

 to the common plantain in appearance and habit ; the fruit, however, is 

 smaller and the plant somewhat hardier, that is, it bears better the cold 

 of the mountains. 



Platano topocho or the topocho plantain. Diaz regards this, to which 

 he has given the name of Musa mixta, as a hybrid between the common 

 plantain and the red banana. It approaches the former in the character 

 and flavour of the fruit ; the latter in its robustness, habit, and power 

 of resistance to dry weather. On account of the latter quality the 

 topocho and red banana are preferred as shade plants on coffee lands 

 on the hills. The fruit of the topocho when ripe is readily eaten by 

 man and animals. " It is a special favourite of hens, ducks, turkeys, 

 and all the feathered family." 



Cambur morado, or the red banana, differs from the preceding in the 

 colour of the stem and fruit. The fruit of this red banana is specially 

 suitable for preserving by being dried in the sun. 



Cambur criollo or the Creole banana. The plant is smaller than either 

 of the above, the stem is stained with blotches and black streaks, the 

 fruit is small and very palatable to eat with dessert. In a green state it 

 is most suitable as an addition to the Spanish olla or stew. 



Cambur manzano or the apple banana. The stem and leaves are 

 tinged with red ; the fruit is as small as the Creole banana. It has a 

 very delicate flavour and it is the most highly esteemed of any. 



Cambur pigmeo or dwarf banana. This hardly attains a height of 

 5 feet (probably the Chinese banana, M. Cavendishii). The bunch of 

 fruits is so large that it sometimes touches the ground. The fruit is 

 slightly larger than the Creole banana, but with a similar flavour. 



Fresh fruits preserved in spirit of two kinds of plantains and bananas 

 from Venezuela are in the Kew Museum. These were originally sent 

 to the International Exhibition of 1865, and presented by the Republic 

 of Venezuela. The first is marked platano dominico, ''bannanier 

 royal" or Royal plantain; the fruit is about 8 to 10 inches long, 

 2 inches diameter, rather prominently ribbed, almost quadrangular, 

 much curved, with the point produced but blunt. The other is named 

 camburi guinea, " figues bananes de Guinie " or fig banana. The fruit 

 is 6 to eight inches long, \\ inches diameter, slightly angular and almost 

 terete, moderately curved, rounded at the top and crowned by the 



