THE PLANTAIN AND BANANA. 



463 



into puddings, and used in various other ways. In their ripe state 

 these fruits contain much starchy matter. 



A few bananas are occasionally imported to England, but they arc 

 seldom received in such perfection as to form an estimate of their 

 flavour ; nor are they at the best of times much appreciated. A 

 considerable trade is, however, carried on in bananas between New 

 York and Aspinwall, the Atlantic seaport of the Panama railway. 

 Not a steamer leaves without taking from 5000 to 8000 bunches, and 

 during the year something like 200,000 bunches (or 800 tons) of 

 bananas are exported to New York. They are grown in plantations 

 or walks, seven or eight miles from the town. After the small bush 

 is cut down, fire is run over the land, and the suckers are planted 

 irregularly all through, six or seven feet apart. The kinds princi- 

 pally cultivated are the doubloon, the China, and the fig. The last 

 most resembles the honey banana of Jamaica. The plantain is not 

 exported, but is only used for home consumption. The Indians 

 manufacture a kind of spirit from the plantain. When the fruit 

 is fully ripe, the Indian gathers it, peels ofi:' the skin and throws the 

 fruit into a dish, where it remains for some days. After fermenting, 

 he draws ofi:' the liquor and puts it in his home-made bottle for future 

 use. The liquor, or as the Indian terms it, " rum," is said to be 

 strong and very intoxicating. When drunk to excess the efifects 

 remain for two or three days. 



In Jamaica, the banana seldom comes to maturity in less than twelve 

 or fom'teen months ; but in Aspinwall, six or eight months are 

 sufficient. In Jamaica, when a sucker is planted, it only comes uj) 

 single and bears but one bunch of fruit ; but in Aspinwall a sucker 

 comes up with several shoots, and these bear in succession one after 

 another. The bunch of fi'uit is cut with as long a stalk as possible, 

 for the convenience of carrying, and it is always cut green before it 

 ever begins to ripen, or the fruit would rot before they arrived at 

 New York. They pay a duty of 10 per cent, in America. 



Plantain Meal. — The flour of the plantain, known in many parts 

 of the West Indies as conquintay, is highly esteemed, and extensively 

 used as a food for invalids and children. It is decidedly superior 

 in these respects to arrowroot, in consequence of its nourishing and 

 strengthening qualities. But it is scarcely known at all in Europe, 

 where I believe it would be greatly prized. It is prepared by stripping 

 off the husk of the plantain, slicing the core, and drying it in the sun. 

 When thoroughly dry it is powdered and sifted. It has a fragrant 

 odour, acquii'ed in drying, somewhat resembling fresh hay or tea. It 

 is largely employed as the food of infants and invalids. As food for 

 children and convalescents it would, probably, be much esteemed in 

 Europe ; and it deserves a trial on accoimt of its fragrance, and its 

 being exceedingly easy of digestion. In respect of nutritiveness it 

 should have a preference over all the pure starches on account of the 

 proteine compounds it contains. The plantain meal would, probably, 

 be best and freshest were the sliced and dried plantain cores ex- 

 ported, leaving the grinding and sifting to be done in Europe. The 

 flavour of the meal depends a good deal on the rapidity with which 

 the slices are dried ; hence the operation is only fitted for dry weather, 



