BUDS, BLOSSOMS, FRUITS. 



555 



the consumption of small fruits. But another step is to 

 be taken, and the banana will take a form that will greatly 

 enlarge the possibilities of its transportation and con- 

 sumption. A company has been formed in New York 

 for the purpose of drying and otherwise preparing the 

 banana for food. It is proposed to make the port of As- 

 pinwall, on the isthmus of Panama, the base of opera- 

 tions. A plentiful supply of the raw material can be 

 obtained at this port very cheap during the entire year. 

 The operators will thus have an added advantage over 

 the evaporators and canners of fruits in the temperate 

 climates, who can work only during a portion of the year. 

 Some experiments were made in drying and shipping 

 bananas a year or more ago, considerable quantities ha .- 



centage of water li considerably less than in either corn- 

 meal or wheat flour, while the percentage of starch and 

 albuminoids is about the same. If the new products suit 

 the popular taste our fruit-growers are likely to have a 

 more formidable rival than even California, with her 

 enormous and ever-increasing fruit supply. — F. H. V.\l- 

 ENTINE, jVczu Jcrsi-y. 



The Russian Mulberry for Hedges. — The Russian 

 mulberry does not make a serviceable hedge to turn 

 stock, but for an ornamental hedge there is nothing that 

 I know of equal to it, at least for the west and northwest. 

 It endures the extremes of climate better than any other 

 plant or tree suitable for hedge purposes. The accom- 

 panying picture will give an idea of the appearance of a 



t r 



A Russian Mulberry Hedge in Ni;br.j 



ing been sent from Australia to Europe. These were 

 received with such favor that the business is to be still 

 further developed, and its extension will probably be 

 limited only by the profits that can be realized, as the 

 supply of raw material is practically inexhaustible. The 

 banana is a healthful and nutritious food in its fresh 

 state, and the manufactured product is said to be equally 

 desirable. The company mentioned is planning to pre- 

 pare it in different forms, either simply dried, as flour or 

 meal made from the dried fruit, or canned. It is claimed 

 that any of these forms can be put on the market so 

 cheaply and attractively that they will speedily come into 

 general use. The shrinkage in drying bananas is shown 

 to be surprisingly small ; they yield about double the 

 proportion of desiccated fruit that apples do. The per- 



well-grown, well-kept Russian mulberry hedge. — Andrew 

 RosENBERGER, iVcbraska. 



Forcing Strawberries. — We are so abundantly sup- 

 plied with early strawberries from the south that it may 

 seem superfluous to advocate growing them under glass ; 

 yet, the small size, acidity and worthlessness of the ber- 

 ries received in early spring are some justification for the 

 more extensive forcing of one of our most delicious fruits. 

 The pleasure to be derived from a crop of first-class, 

 large, luscious berries in the month of March is consider- 

 ably heightened when we compare them with the quality 

 of the southern product. The expense which the pro- 

 duction of fine fruit involves is only that of labor, where 

 a greenhouse is already on the place. Where plenty of 

 greenhouse room is at command, a house devoted exclu- 



