56 



" So far as my observation goes the disease first attacks the growing 

 parts of the plant, and then induces decay downwards to the roots, the 

 whole stem eventually rotting. 



" As a tentative measure I would suggest the complete destruction of 

 infected plants, and the removal of all that are healthy to well-drained 

 and fertile soil. 



" It is observed that the ' fig-sucre,' or small-fruited banana, enjoys 

 the greatest immunity from attack ; possibly on account of the harder 

 character of the epidermis in this variety." 



South-East Africa. — Although the fruit-yielding Musas are not culti- 

 vated to any extent in Cape Colony, specimens of diseased banana fruits 

 were received from Professor MacOwan in 1893 grown near East 

 London. The disease was very similar, if not identical, with that caused 

 by a species of Glceosportum in Queensland. It affects both the tiowers 

 and fruit, and seems to be general. A growing plant infected in the 

 Laboratory at Kew with the spores of the fungus soon showed the 

 disease in a virulent form. It is therefore desirable to carefully watch 

 banana plants affected by any forms of " black smut," and to 

 destroy them immediately, before the disease has had opportunity to 

 spread. 



Economic Uses. 



Ripe bananas, especially the delicate sorts, are an excellent dessert 

 fruit, and they are universally used in the tropics. The taste and 

 flavour of the banana fruit are very various. Some are acidulous, others 

 acid-sweet or sweet like sugar. In the best varieties the pulp is soft and 

 melting, with a delicate fruity flavour resembling apple, strawberry, or 

 pine-apple. The taste for ripe bananas of late years has largely spread 

 to temperate countries, and to supply the demand an enormous trade has 

 sprung up between the West Indies, especially Jamaica, and parts of 

 Central America, to ship fresh fruit to the United States and Canada. 

 During the year 1893 the aggregate quantity received at ports in the 

 United States reached nearly 13 million bunches. The value of this 

 fruit at the wharf would not be far short of four millions sterling. 

 The quantity received at ports in the Dominion of Canada is not given, 

 but it must be steadily increasing since direct steamers have now been 

 placed between Canada and the West Indies. The consumption of 

 bananas in this country and on the Continent is as yet comparatively 

 small. 



Dampier, during his " New Voyage round the World," 1679 to 1691, 

 recognised the value of the plantain and banana. " The plantain," he 

 says, " 1 take to be the king of all fruit, not except the coco [nut] itself. 

 The trees are not raised from seed (for they seem not to have any) 

 but from the roots of other old trees. If these young suckers are 

 taken out of the ground and planted in another place it will be 

 15 months before they bear ; but if let stand in their own native 

 soil they will bear in 12 months. As soon as the fruit is ripe the tree 

 decays." 



Again, " When this fruit is only used for bread, it is roasted or 

 boiled when it is just full grown, but not yet ripe, or turned yellow. 

 . . . Sometimes, for a change, they eat a roasted plantain and a' 

 ripe raw plantain together, which is instead of bread and butter. 

 They eat very pleasant so, and I have made many a good meal in this 

 manner. Sometimes our English take six or seven ripe plantains, 

 and, mashing them together, make them into a lump, and boil them 



