June i, 1895,] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
785 
la Jamaica it is of great importance to discover 
some plan for tbe utilisation of the fruit, which at 
present is wasted — the small bunches, aud those 
that are unfit for export for other reasons, such as 
bruising or over-ripeness. 
A Committee of the Board of Governors of the 
Jamaica Institute, with the Director of Public 
Gardens as Chairman, investigated this subject s >me 
time ago, but the conclusion arrived at then was 
that the data in their possession were not such as 
to encourage any hopes of planters b ing able to 
manufacture the waste Ban mas themselves or 
dispose of them to a factory. The Director has, 
however, been making enquiries in London, and bag 
had au interview with a Dutch engineer, Mr. 
Hartogh, who has invented machinery for the con- 
version of Bananas into various products. The 
specimens seen of these pro ucts were of exce'lent 
quality, and it is interesting to note that the peel 
can be used in certain cases for manufacture, as 
well a? the pu'p of the fruit. The prospects of 
this new industry are n >w more hopeful, and it 
seems probable that the factories will be started in 
Jamaica for the utilisation of Bananas that are now 
wasted. 
Mr. Hartogh, a r ter seeing the references to Bananas 
in Stanley's book, visited Duteh (xuitni in 1692 
with the object of studying the prep iration p' Baaa :as 
so as to utilise the lu'g-> proportion of starch co 1- 
tained in them for food, aud for other industrial 
purposos. He invented various machine^, and has 
prepare 1 dilfer nt products from the Banana, which 
nave been submitted for ana'ysis and test to speci- 
alists in all the industries in which starch products 
are employed: 
Whether bis spsc : al mothods are of such a nature 
as to be profitable both to the planter and to the 
manufacturer, the results of the tests to *hich the 
product 3 have been su >:n toed w 11 be interesting to 
all growers of Banana j. Tney have boon published 
in coniiectim with ai exhibit in the Antwerp Ex- 
hibition of this year, ma ie by the " Stan'ey Syndicate," 
which ins been founded by Mr. Hartogh. aud by 
Mr. Asser, Civil Engineer at the Hague, who acts 
as Secretary. An experimental factory ha) for some 
time been at work in Dutch Guiana. 
Among others, experiments on a large sca'e have 
beeu carried ou: in Mr. Kahlke's manufactory of yeast 
and alcohol at Koui gsberg, aud at his request in a 
laboratory atBerlin. ;\n accouut of these experiments 
was published in the weekly paper " Alcohol " in 
its numbers 10, 11, 12, aud 15. The use of Banana 
flour is regatded in this periodical as opening a 
perfectly new prospect for the industry in question. 
It is affirmed that the richness of Banana flour in 
Btarch is in a special state which facilitates iu a 
most renovrkahle manner the production of yeast 
without diminishing the quantity of alcohol. Tho 
latter has a fine aromatic flavour. 
Mr. Kahlke, one of the bsst-kuown manufacturers 
of yeast in Germany, writes in this connection: — 
"Banana flour, without doubt, from its richness 
in starch and its good flavour, is pvrticularly suitable 
for the manufacture of yeast. This flour is easily 
rendered saccharine. The yeast obtained by adding 
Banana flour to the other ingredients has a good 
colon- - , all the requisite properties of au excellen-. 
dm of yeast, and, moreover, keeps wall. The 
ale >hol obtained from it leaves nothing to be desired, 
bo that thii flair m iv be introduced as an arti do 
of commerce, aud emp'oyed without any spe ial 
preparation. 
Satisfactory experime ts have also been made in 
some breweries where 20 percent, on milt ha i been 
replaced by the flake; aud flour of Bananas. The 
flavour of the beer wai not altered aud the quantity 
of li |u 1 was iucrea-el, an 1 the malt was replace I 
by a lna) expensive subs' ance. 
Experiments are being made in wbicb the pro 
portion of 13 i.iana Hour is increased. One of tho 
givat Belgian bro.vers writes: — 
"These flakes were macerated iu the vat with the 
malt, and the result was much superior to that of 
jj uute, tad the flavour of tho mutt irreproachable, 
the drainage of the mixture was a little difficult at 
first, but after being stirred a second time the 
draining proceeded rapidly ; briefly, the use of the 
flake3 may be considered both advantageous and 
easy in brewing." 
D.ff erent Tfanana flours, and uotably that prepared 
specially for the manufacture of glucose, have been 
tried in some ylaeoserieii. Although difficulties were 
mot with in the manufacture, principally with respect 
to discolouration, it has beeu shown that the glucose 
obtained from it has a good flavour, is very sweet, 
and slightly aromatic. 
It i; highly probable that a special study of the 
subject will surnouit the slight difficulties which 
at first presented themselves in the U3e of this new 
product in gVucoS&rieg. 
Very nourishing bread has been made from equal 
proportions of Bananas and Wheat and Rye flour 
and even from a mixture of two-thirds Bananas and 
one-third ordinary flour. 
A sweet Bauana flour having an agreeable flavour 
of fresh fruit appears to be specially suitable for 
cakes and biscuits. 
Preserving Mangoes. 
As the cultivation of the Mango is rapidly increasing 
in the Colony the following mav be found useful by 
some of the gro vers. It is taken from the Jamaica 
Bulletin of the Botanical Department, and has be-n 
written by Mr. E. M, Shelton, of the Department 
of Agriculture, Queensland : — 
Canning— After peeling, the fruit is separated from 
the stones by slicing into pieces of convenient size 
These should be stewed for a few minutes only 
bef .re pouring into the cans, in svrups stron" or 
weak iu sugar to suit taste, or the fruit may° be 
cooked in the can with the syrup as before. There 
may be a difference of opinion 'as to the palatable- 
ness of canned Mangoes A considerable number 
of those persons who ha-e tasted the remits of our 
work have pronounced the canned fruit excellent 
while others have declared their indifference to it' 
A like diversity of opinion, we note, holds respecting 
the raw fruit, particularly with those who are un- 
accustomed t > its peculiar flavour. Mangoes shewed 
in the form of a sauce will be found a we'eome 
aldition to any dinner table. -As good as stewed 
peaches," we have heard them pronounced. 
Marmalade.— Webster detiues marmalade as " pre- 
serve or out ctiou made of any of the firmer fruits 
boded wrn sugar, and usualiv evaporated so as to 
take the form of a mould." Nearly in this se ise the 
word " marmalade " is used i . this essav. Peel and 
slice the Maugo, cutting close to the' stone, using 
plenty of water Boil until the fruit is throughlv 
disintegrated, when the pulp should be run thoxsuffh 
the colander with the purpose of extracting the 
' s Y JoL ,. l 3u °' ar ? 10uld 11 >W be added to s.iit the taste 
(about i-lb. to the pint of pulp), and the mass boiled 
until clear, when it should he poured into the moulds 
or jars m which it is to be kept. This marmalade is 
of a rich golden yedow colour, it retains the form of 
the moull perfectly, and it seems in all r spects to 
satisfy the most exacting aste. In the absence of 
the experience ne :,ssary to t.st the keeping qualities 
of Mango inarm ilale, ic woul I be the p.ut of wis- 
do .i to seal the jars designed for fu.ure use while 
bet with wax, or better yet, with a p ug of cotton wool, 
i Jelly.— a or jelly, prepare the Mangoe3 by slicing 
a) for marmalade ; boil the fruit with water prolong 
m-i the foiling ouly to t'.e exte t of extracting the 
j,.i;es. Ureat C .re should be taken in boiliu" as the 
Maug) rap dly " b ih to pieces" in whi-h case it is 
l.npjs-ible t. mike satisfactory jel v. Pour off tbe 
jtuce, strain and boil down to a je ly— an oper tion 
that occupies only a few moments, as the Mango 
is riobin.^e.atiniius materials. The pnlp remaining 
after the jelly has been :omoved mav be u«ed to 
savant 13a in making imir ulade. In t" e amount of 
BOgaru ed 11 making jelj the house keeper is sate 
ill follQWiug old practices in this re-.pect with other 
fruits. It is impossible to give exact rules in all 
tho operations connected with working no this fruit 
, In general, it will be well to use iu "boiling, water 
