THE PLANTAIN AND BANANA FAMILY. 175 



clusters, and when ripe is of a yellow colour, the whole 

 bunch weighing from 40 to 60 lbs., sometimes even more. 

 Each fruit is from 6 — 8 inches long, and 4 — 5 inches in cir- 

 cumference. It is of a soft pulpy nature and agreeable 

 flavour, being moreover highly nutritious. The Banana is 

 eaten fresh when ripe, but the fruit of the Plantain is roasted, 

 and eaten before it attains its full maturity. 



In general the stems of Bananas rise 10 — -15 feet high, and 

 are liable to be injured, or even destroyed by high winds. 

 There is, however, a variety which has received the name of 

 Musa chinensis, and is also cultivated in gardens under the 

 name of M. Cavendishii, the stems of which are rarely more 

 than 4 — 5 feet high, and very stout. This last variety has 

 been successfully introduced into the Navigator's, Feejee, 

 and other islands of the Pacific, and is much valued by the 

 natives on account of its productiveness. 



After fruiting the stems of these plants die down, but the 

 root-stock continues to throw up other stems, which succes- 

 sively produce fruit. It is of easy cultivation in the hothouses 

 of this country. After the fruit is cut the old stems are useful, 

 as they contain a considerable quantity of fibre, and of late 

 years machines have been invented, and sent out to the West 

 Indies for the express purpose of cleaning the fibre. The 

 most important species for this purpose — viz., producing 

 fibre, is the Musa textilis, from which "Manilla Hemp" is 

 obtained. This substance is extensively prepared in many 

 parts of India, as well as in both the Malayan and Philippine 

 islands, and is imported in considerable quantities to this 

 country, and employed in rope-making, and for other purposes. 

 Banana and Plantain leaves are used for many purposes in 

 tropical countries. 



Ensete (Musa ensete). This noble plant is a native of 

 Abyssinia, and was originally discovered by Bruce, the dis- 

 tinguished traveller and collector, more than a century ago. 

 His acccount of this plant, like many other parts of his his- 

 tory of that country, was doubted until 1853, when seeds 



