.360 
Supplement to the " Tropical Agriculturist." [Nov. 1, 1894. 
to be looked for in a water may be classed as 
follows :— 
Minebai, Matter. — Basic radicles, as Lime, 
Magnesia, Sodium, Iron, Lead, Zinc, and Copper. 
Acid radicles — as Chlorine, .Sulphuric Acid, I 
Nitric Acid, and Phosphoric Acid. 
Organic Matter. — Ammonia, and also animal | 
and vegetable remains. 
Gases — as Carbonic Acid, Sulphuretted hydro- 
gen, and Curburetted hydrogen. These and other 
impurities are obtained, at the sources of supply | 
in the collection and storage of water, or in its 
distribution. 
Pain is without doubt the main source of 
supply of our water. From the surface of the 
land, rivers, lakes, and oceans, evaporation 
takes place through the agency of the sun's 
heat, and when the atmosphere contains as much 
moisture as it can possibly hold, and When its 
temperature is reduced, a portion of the moisture 
is condensed into fine globules and forms clou 
which eventually come down in the form of ruin. 
After having fallen, a portion of the ruin svater 
is lost by evaporation, another portion runs off 
the surface of the soil, carrying with it, both in 
suspension and solution, impurities from the 
soil over which it flows, and forms streams &c. 
The remainder of the water penetrates into the 
soil, carrying into it substances in solution, and is 
brought to the surface in the form of springs 
or wells. 
AVater is collected in wells, tanks or artificial 
cisterns, whether constructed of masonry or 
metal. The chances of substances getting 
into these places ore very great since a tank 
may be polluted by human beings or cattl^ 
bathing in it, or by the washing of linen, while 
wells and tanks are liable to be contaminated 
by vegetable and animal matter. When water is 
distributed by hand, impurities of various kinds 
may easily get into it. When distributed through 
pipes the lead or iron of the pipes is likely to 
contaminate it, while if noxious gases are in- 
troduced into pipes they will be absorbed by the 
water. W. A. D. S. 
(To be conti7iued.) 
BANANAS AND PLANTAINS. 
( Continued.) 
Continuing our article of yesterday re the Kew 
Bulletin, and referring to the large quantities 
of bananas that are imported into New York, 
in a perishable shape, about which a corre- 
spondent says : — 
" If we had a desicating plant, that would 
convert the fruit into dried fruit or flour, we 
could largely increase our importations and turn 
out a product which would command a sale all 
over the coast and in the East." 
Now what is wanted in New York to convert the 
perishable fruit into a far more valuable and per- 
manent form, we, in Ceylon, possess, namely, the 
desiccating apparatus. We have, moreover, the 
fruit locally grown, and not needing, as in New 
York, to be imported. Of the two forms of the 
dried fruit to which we would draw the attention 
of those especially who have desiccating machines, 
one is a dainty dessert dish, excelling the dried fig 
iu texture and flavour ; the other is the jfew/' or ', 
meal which possesses the special virtues described 
in the foregoing paragraphs, publit-hed under the 
high authority of the Ketc Bulletin. Now, while 
Eevalenta, the meal of the Lentil, commands the 
extraordinary price for which it is sold in our local 
stores ; while the advertising columns of the 
Newspapers of the day teem with special " foods " 
for invalids and infants, it is a strange fact that 
we possess a food, bearing such a character as we 
hove quoted that is absolutely neglected. Amid 
all the flowery advertisements by which those 
numerous and pretentious "foods" are recom- 
mended, there is not one that can compare, for sub- 
stantial qualities, with the banana Hour of which 
Stanley bear? such high testimony, along with so 
many medical authorities, and sucli hospital prne- 
tici as above quoted, extending over several gener- 
ations, in point of time, and over the length nnd 
breadth of the tropical world. 
In regard to the preparation of the fruit for the 
purpose of dessert, we extract the following from 
the Bulletin before us, from which the principle of 
the process of rtrj ing will be sufficiently explained. 
If a good opening were established for well-pre- 
served bananas, a very attractive and palatable 
food, capable of being kept for some time, would 
be available to the population of temperate climates. 
Ripe, or nearly ripe, bananas have sufficient sugar 
in them to enable them to be dried like tigs. 
A sample of preserved bananas or plantains pre- 
pared at Kurunegala, Ceylon, by Mr. Morris, the 
Assistant tiovernment Agent in 1840, was present- 
ed in thatyenrby Dr. Wullich to the Agri.-Hort. 
Society of India (Trans. VIII . pp. 5K-.W). The 
kind of plantain used w as that known in Ceylon as 
" Suandelle." 
Dr. Shier, of Demerara,is quoted in the "Cata- 
logue of the Paris Exhibition of 1867," in regard to 
preserved bananas as follows: — 
" llipe plantains and bananas. — It was supposed 
by the Society of Arts {Trans. ,\o\. L., pt. i.) that 
the dried yellow plantain [or banana] might come 
into competition with tigs, and the sample exhibited 
at the great Londou Exhibition of 1851, which had 
been prepared in Mexico many years before, proved 
the great superiority of the platano passado over 
figs in keeping properties and in immunity from 
insect ravages. In Mexico, the simple exposure of 
peifectly ripe plantains or bananas to the sun's rays 
is sufficient to prepare them for the market in an 
exportable form. 
Since Dr. Shier's time a great advance has been 
made in drying fruit. What are called "American " 
fruit-drying machines have been rendered so 
effective that little difficulty is experienced in dry- 
ing the most succulent fruits in a few hours, and 
at the same time preserving all their fresh flavour, 
and also in many cases even the colour. The fumes 
of sulphurous acid, in no way injurious to the sub- 
sequent value of the preserved fruit for food pur- 
poses, are used to render some fruits like sliced 
apples of an attractive colour, and there is no 
doubt, although it does not appear to have been 
tried, a similar treatment would be of advantage if 
applied to the bananas. 
It may be added that the comparative lo 
weight by evaporation lias been observed ^bet 
