188 



The Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist 



Lucia, Botanic Station Report, 1908-09, p 4). 

 From Borneo we were informed at the beginning 

 of this year that plants raised from the Beed 

 sent in 1908 and sown early in December were 

 planted out when about 10 in. high ; at the time 

 of writing (January 1910) the trees of M. dicho- 

 toma were 5 ft. high, some having a girth of 4 

 in. The young plants of M. piazihyensis, though 

 not so tall, are stated to be larger in girth. — Keiv 

 Bulletin, No. 6, 1910. 



THE CULTIVATION OF THE BANANA 

 IN TRAVANCORE. 



By T. Ponnamballam Pillay, 

 Excise Commissioner , Travancore {Retired.) 



The central and northern parts of Travancore 

 have the advantage of two monsoons, and are, 

 therefore, specially suitable for the cultivation 

 of the banana. 



As far as can be ascertained, the species grown 

 is Musa paradisiaca. 



A well-drained deep rich red soil is most suit- 

 able, but the crop also grows well in medium 

 black soil. About a year before planting, the 

 soil is ploughed frequently, and the ground 's 

 enclosed with mud walls or fences to protect the 

 crop from cattle. The time for planting varies 

 according to localities, but it is generally be- 

 tween December and February. 



When the soil is well prepared, pits 3 feet deep 

 and 3 feet round are dug 8 feet apart ; an 

 acre contains about 1,200 pits. To manure the 

 pits, dried leaves are burnt within them, and the 

 ashes are well mixed with loose soil to fill up 

 Jths of their depth. This also protects the plants 

 from white ants. The shoots are then planted 

 in the pits and manured with fresh cowdung. 

 The pits are then filled with earth up to the 

 level of the ground and covered over with dried 

 leaves to protect them from the sun. The shoots 

 are not watered, but occasional showers help 

 them to strike root and grow. When they make 

 a fair start, they are manured with cowdung 

 (fresh more preferable) and green leaves. 



Most of the plantations when established con- 

 tinue to produce fruit for ten or more years, pro- 

 vided the soil is regularly ploughed, weeded and 

 manured. But yearly the old stems are cut out, 

 and fruit is obtained from the young selected 

 shoots which grow about the parent plant. 

 When the banana bunch is cut, those suckers 

 which are not required and the stem which has 

 produced fruit are removed to make room for the 

 other stems which are intended subsequently to 

 produce fruit. 



Fibre can be extracted from the stems, and 

 this industry is not neglected. 



In Travancore, the skin or husk of the plan- 

 tain is pealed of, and the pulp or core is cut into 

 slices and dried in the sun. For infant food 

 the slices are pounded into flour. The flour is 

 nutritious. For adult food the slices are fried in 

 oil or ghee with salt. The fried article is pre- 

 served for months in new earthen pots in a cool 

 place. The fruit is also largely eaten by the poor, 

 but it is not easily digestible. 



An acre of bananas yields, on an average, 

 about RgOO. But the cost of the expenditure on 

 the following items when reasonably assigned, 



leaves no profit to the cultivator in the first 

 year or years. 



(1) . The putting up of protective walls or 

 fences around the ground. 



(2) . Ploughing not less than eight times. 



(3) . Digging of 1,200 holes. 



(4) . Collection of dried leaves for burning 

 in the pits as well as for covering them after 

 planting. 



(5) . The cost of cowdung and green leaves. 



(6) . The cost of applying the same. 



(7) . Watching the garden. 



(8) . The collection of the crop. 



(9) . The collection and preservation of suc- 

 kers and 



(10). Rent for the land or interest on the 

 capital. 



The cultivator, however, derives profit by 

 raising secondary crops such as yams, &c, 

 which cost him almost nothing. The cost of 

 weeding has only to be met. Between two plan- 

 tain trees, three yam sets are planted. Some 

 of the secondary crops are harvested before the 

 bananas become ripe and some about the same 

 time. This kind of cultivation does not exhaust 

 the soil as in the case of cassava, and the culti- 

 vator can also grow gram or peas without ad- 

 ditional manuring. Before the cultivation of 

 banana, the ground should lie fallow. —Agricul- 

 tural Journal of India for July. 



GARAVONIGA COTTON. 



By G. A, Gammie, f.l.s. 

 Imperial Cotton Specialist. 



In the Board of Trade Journal, Vol. 66, No. 668 

 of the September 16th last, there is a short note 

 on the experimental cultivation of Caravonica 

 cotton in the Soudan. From this we learn that the 

 agent of the Soudan at Cairo reports that it was 

 decided to discontinue these experiments be- 

 cause the growth of the plants was not satis- 

 factory, and the yield did not compare favour- 

 ably with that from Egyptian cotton. 



I have already dwelt on some experiences with 

 this cotton in India (Agricultural Journal of 

 India, Vol. HI, Part 3, page 271.) 



In order to demonstrate further the slender 

 grounds on which are based the assumptions 

 claimed for Caravonica cotton. I shall shortly 

 quote information gleaned from a perusal of 

 articles contained in the Indian Trade Journal 

 and Tropical Agriculttirist, 



From the former (September 30, 1909), we 

 gather from reliable authority that, at the pre- 

 sent time, there are sevoral small growers of this 

 cotton in the immediate vicinity of Cairns, one 

 having some 10 acres planted out. There are 

 three varieties, and the indications show that 

 they are not constant in their characters, and 

 that the youug plants are liable to attacks from 

 insects. The article, which should be read in 

 full by those interested in the matter, is indefinite 

 on vital points ; but the short abstract I have 

 given serves as a useful commentary to what now 

 follows. In the supplement to the Tropical Agri- 

 culturist, Vol. 32, New Series, No. 2, page 186, a 

 long note on an interview with Dr. Thomatis 

 can be found. He again avers that he estab- 

 lished his hybrid cotton in the short space of 



{Continued on page /p2.) 



