Oct. 1, 1894.] Supplement to the " Tropical Agriculturist." 
283 
especially in the vicinity of canals, rivers or 
marshes is the best fitted for the growth of 
this grass. The grass-fields of Colombo are 
mostly situated in such localities. The Cinnamon 
Garden soil is noted for its loose texture and the 
amount of moisture contained in it ; water is 
found in this locality quite close to the surface. 
The lowlands in the vicinity of the Kelani 
river are more or les3 marshes. In all these 
places when under proper cultivation, the grass 
thrives well. Though water grass is eminently 
one so partial to moisture, it is known to grow 
fairly well in average soils, but then the deve- 
lopment of the leaves and stems show a marked 
falling off. The produce of such localities is 
not so succulent as that grown in moist 
soils, but contains a comparatively large per- 
centage of nutritive matter. 
The cultivation of Mauritius grass is one that 
requires careful attention, which it well repays, 
since it is one of the most profitable crops grown 
at present. 
Land selected for a grass plot is first well 
tilled and manured before it is planted. The 
planting is done by scattering, broadcast, pieces 
of mature stalks of the grass, say about six 
inches in length, along with some manure, 
usually cattle and horse dung, and covering 
them lightly. The first shower makes the planted 
stem to put forth numerous buds, and these 
■within the space of from five to eight weeks grow 
up and form a thick bed of tall grass stalks. 
During the rains and when the season is favour- 
able, a grass-field yields a crop once in five weeks; 
when the season is unfavourable this period is 
slightly extended. On an average a Mauritius 
grass-field gives eight crops a year. Aftir each 
mowing the land has to be weeded and dressed 
with manure, consisting of cattle and horse dung 
and any refuse from road sweepings to weeds 
from stagnant pools &c. 
The laying out of an acre of grass including 
the cost of tillage, manure, and the stalks for 
planting, costs on an average about JRoOOO. 
Upkeep of one man and one woman 
working daily, @ 120/ per annum for 
the man and 60/ for the woman . . 180 00 
First year's expenses . . . . 230 00 
Second and subsquent year . . 180 00 
Yield 1,250 bundles a cutting value 40/; 
eight cuttings give a net income of. . 320 00 
per annum. 
Mauritius grass is undoubtedly a bulky food, 
considering the large percentage of moisture it 
contains, but at the same time it is one of the 
best foods to keep up animals in health, and as 
a change from coarse grass it is invaluable. 
The cultivation of this grass should be encour- 
aged in the villages. There are lauds suitable for 
its growth in almost every village, and such land 
is for the most part unsuitable for any other 
paying crop. A supply of Mauritius grass if 
available in the villages would be a great factor 
in the improvement of various kinds of stock in 
this Island. 
W. A. D. 
(To be continued.) 
BANANAS AND PLANTAINS. 
The August number of the Kew Bulletin is 
entirely taken up with " miscellaneous infor- 
mation," relating to bananas and plantains, with 
a description of the botanical characters and 
uses of the principal varieties of Mam, grown 
for use or ornament. The tribe Mmete belongs 
to the Natural Order Scitamine^;, which 
includes many economic plants, such as Arrow- 
root, Turmeric, Cardamoms, Ginger, &c. The 
Musece embrace four genera : Heliconia, Mum, 
Strelitzia, and Hevenala. The Heliconias are 
ornamental plants. The Musas include the wild 
and cultivated bananas and plantains. The 
Strelitzias belong to South Africa, and the Rave- 
nalas are known as the " Travellers' palms," 
the leaves of which are arranged like the ribs of 
a fan. They derive their name from the fact, 
that in the foot stalks of the leaves a supply 
of water may be obtained by trapping. 
The Musas comprise the species of economic 
value, with their inestimable, edible fruits, and 
form the principal subject of the Kew Bulletin 
under notice. Notwithstanding the prominent 
place the bananas and plantains occupy among 
the cultivated fruits and foods of this Island, 
they have never yet attained the position they 
have gained elsewhere, or the attention they 
deserve in Ceylon. 
With regard to the botanical characteristics 
of the tribe the plants are so familiar that 
little need here be said. The plantain tree 
has no real stem. That which serves as a 
stem for most of the species consists of the 
leaf stalks, which are succulent, and form 
sheaths, or coatings, like those of an onion, one 
over another. The flower bud is formed in 
the ground, and pushes its way up thence to the 
position it occupies at the top, where it attains 
its full growth and maturity. 
Under the head of cultivated varieties, those 
that are found in different countries are speci- 
fied in the Bulletin for each country separately. 
India heads the list, not that the greatest 
variety is found there, for the Phillipines and 
Indian Archipelago are richest, and according 
to Moon, Ceylon comes next. Eoxburgh reports 
that he found in India only three vatieties of 
" plantain, " and about thirty of the " banana." 
Eleven varieties are briefly described iu the 
Bulletin before us, as being the chief of those 
that are cultivated in India ; and they are used 
almost exclusively as table fruit when ripe, 
or as vegetables when unripe. When we come 
to consider the much more extended uses of 
the plantains and bananas in other countries 
we shall have more to say about India. 
Regarding Ceylon, Moon enumerates 47 kinds 
by their Sinhalese and English names. Yet, 
rich as the Island is in varieties, and though 
the list comprises some of the most delicious in 
flavour, and most productive and nourishing 
Ceylon is far behind in the economic uses to 
which the fruit is applied, as compared with 
several other countries. Our main object in 
reviewing the Bulletin before us is to point out, 
as we have done several times before in these 
columns, the various uses of which the fruit is 
capable, economically, and commercially. 
