462 



THE PLANTAIN AND BANANA. 



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 culientes," and particularly in Michoacan and Xafesco, 

 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, for the skin, if left on, causes a disagreeable flavour. They 

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

 surface, as on dried figs and prunes. They are then pressed in 

 masses of about 25 lbs. each, and wrapped in leaves of the banana 

 plant, or else kept in boxes. Of course, these methods can only be 

 adopted in countries where the climate is very dry. In others, 

 recourse must be had to artificial means, which are unfortunately 

 more costly. 



There are three distinct ways in which the ripe banana may be 

 dried. 1st, exposing the fruit to an atmosphere of sulphuric acid 

 gas before the dessication is begun. 2nd, boiling rapidly very ripe 

 fruit in water which contains sulphate of lime. 3rd, 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 fruit, may be used. If rain falls, they are dried in 

 a furnace, which must be left open, otherwise the bananas bake instead 

 of drying. The heat, also, must be moderate. The bananas, when 

 dry, are pressed and packed in boxes. The fruit thus prepared is a 

 very good article of food, resembling figs, and its abundance and 

 easy preparation would render it a cheaj) one. 



Some of the fruit of the plantain was exhibited at the Great Exhi- 

 bition of 1851, that had been in this country for sixteen years. It 

 was still in an eatable state, and had much the taste of dried figs. The 

 quality of the fibre is finest before the ripening of the fruit. The cost 

 of keeping up a plantain estate in Demerara would be about 61. per 

 acre ; and the produce of the stem alone for fibre, if cut every eight 

 months, would be 1400 or 1500 good stems every cutting, or 4500 

 stems in two years. The average quantity of fibre per stem may be 

 put at 4 lbs., or 9000 lbs. per annum per acre, at a cost of 61. ; and 

 add 4Z. for the preparation for market, the cost would not exceed 

 ^d. per lb. In this way (by the succession of suckers) the production 

 of the plantain is enormous ; and Humboldt's statement, once thought 

 exaggerated, that an acre of good land in the tropics, covered with 

 the plantain, would yield as much nutritious food as 144 acres of 

 wheat, is no longer denied or doubted. 



The plantain is noted for the abundance and excellence of the 

 nutritive food which it yields. The fruit is served up both raw and 

 stewed; slices fried are also considered a delicacy. Plantains are 

 sometimes boiled and eaten with salt meat, and pounded and made 



