56 



CHINESE OR DWARF BANANA. 



Mr. Gr. H. Withers of Messrs. Elder, Dempster & Co., sends the 

 following note with reference to the question whether the Dwarf Ba- 

 nana of Jamaica is the same as the fruit exported from the Canary 

 Islands : — 



" I have also always been under the impression that the Canary 

 Banana is the " Chinese," it is certainly the same, as I have seen 

 growing here in the hills They say they were brought there ori- 

 ginally by a Priest from one of the W. I. Islands It may be true 

 that there are different kinds, but we must remember the different 

 climates they grow in ; also soils ; lack and (in rare cases) superfluity 

 of water, and manure, also varieties in manures from stable manure 

 up to ammonia pure and simple. All this must tell in the matter of 

 rl ivour and to a certain extent appearance. 



"The climate certainly is better, it allows the fruit to mature 

 slower, and is never liable to excess or lack of water. 



" There are plants there still bearing known to be over 30 years 

 old." 



In Bengal which is so much hotter than the W. Indies, the Chi- 

 nese banana is said to be difficut to get in perfection, " as it is uneat- 

 able till quite ripe, and on its becoming ripe commences almost imme- 

 diately to decay." 



COST OF SUGAR CANE CULTIVATION. 



Cost of Cultivation ox ax Estatb in Vkre, Jamaica, of 4u0 acres 



OF CANE LAXD DIVIDED IXTO 3 CROPS, I.E., PLANTS, 

 RATOONS, ACCORDING TO MkSSRS. J. W. MlTCHELL i 



Plants 100 Acres. 



lsr & 2nd 



MUIRHEAD. 



Preparing land for plough 



Close ploughing 



Single mould do. 



Double do 



Digging row ends 



Planting and procuring tops . 



Covering land in plants 



5 cleanings, 4s. each 



Banking up canes with plough 



Booting 



Removing dead leaves, trashing 



Ratoons. 



Turning, reversing and spreading trash 

 Rough Moulding 



Spreading trash and cleaning canes ... 

 Booting canes 

 Trashing do. 



per acre 

 2/6 



% 



3/ 



21 



9/ 

 2/6 

 20/ 

 4/ 

 5/ 

 5/ 



64/ per acre 



4/ 

 2/ 



3 



5/ 



5/ 



19/ per acre. 



