Feb. 1, 1902.J 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTUEIST. 
511 
best growth of the plant. Good drainage is a necessity. 
Wherever stagnaut water is present, the leaves take on 
a reidish-yeilow app-^,rallce the bunches are inferior, 
ripening before they fill out properly ; and the whole 
stnii'ture of the plant is weakened. 
Clijiate.— The banana requires a good supply of 
moii^iure and a good deal of heat for its proper 
{;,rowlh. Well sheltered valleys are very suitable. 
While it thrives best under such conditions, it will 
also grow at a considerable height above the sea, 
though in such cafes taking longer to bear. 
Santa Martha. — I had an opportunity some three 
years ago of seeing what may be called a banana 
planter's Puradise. This was at Santa Martha, 
Rfpublic of Columbia. Imagine a stretch of level 
laud, a free soil, rich in vegetable matter accumu- 
lated through centuries of luxuriant growth, an in- 
tense heat, frequent showers of rain, and a wind- 
break in the shape of a mountain range running 
lip to a snow-capped peak 17,000 odd feet high — 
this is a place not to grow bananas, but for bananas 
to grow tliemselves ! Acres upon acres with not a 
broken leaf what a contrast to this wind-swept 
irrigation district of St. Catherine ? Immense trees 
wiih huge bunches met the eye on every side. 
One part in particular struck me very much. For 
about three months in the year, irrigation is some- 
times needed. This is necessary to be kept in mind 
in order to understand what follows, The main 
plantations are situated at Bio Fiio, where at the 
time of ray visit about 800 acres were in cultivation. 
A few miles further inland, a piece of land w vS 
thought suitable for cultivation without irrigation ; 
and about 250 acres were planted out. I saw some 
mahogany logs taken from this land. They averaged 
four feet in diameter, by about 16 feet If^ng. One 
crop was taken off, and then a long spell of dry 
weather set in, with the result that the cultivation 
went to pieces and was ai-iandoned. Some two 
years after, seasonable rains having fallen in the 
meantime, the land was inspected. When I visited 
the place, a gang of labourers were busy bubhing 
out the tangle of weeds that had sprung up, and 
thinning out the tremendous growth of banana 
Buciiers. Huge bushes hung all around, and every- 
thing promised lor as heavy a spring crop as one 
could desire — and this without care of any kind. A 
planter there told me that two-thiids of the bunches 
were cut in the spring months, as a result of the 
natural growth of the bananas. I should think it 
possible to biing in 90 per cent, of the crop iuthp,-e 
months Lest anyone should feel inclined to pack cff 
bag and baggage to Columbia. I might mention that 
on the other side of this very bright picture there is 
the spectre of rt volution, with its consequent stop- 
page of trade. Thank goodness we have peace and 
quietness here, if we have not such rich land. 
Clearing Land. — On the system of cultivation to 
be followed depends the method of clearing the 
land. Everything is cut down, as shade is detrimental 
to the ban:ina, causing an undue growth of stem and 
leaves and a poor bunch. The wood and brushwood 
are burned or carried off. This leaves the stumps, 
which will hinder the use of the plough and cultiva. 
tor ; but where hand cultivation is to be followed, 
the stumps are rather an advantage as their gradual 
decay keeps up the supply of humus in the soil, 
and assists drainage. 
Stumping. — Where the plough and cultivator are 
to be used, it is really better and cheaper to stump 
the land from the commencement. This sounds 
rather formidable, but it is after all easier than 
digging the stumps after the lapse of a few years, 
the weight of the tree helping to uproot itself. A 
relative of mine who settled some fifty years ago in 
New Zealand described to me how he uprooted a 
large tree to make room in his garden. Choosing 
the side of the tree which appeared to be the 
■ heaviest, he cut oS the larger roots on that side, 
thus removing the support. Tracking out the larger 
roots on the other side, which now had the strain 
pH them, he began cutting [through them. Very 
soon the strain proved too much ; there was a rend- 
ing of roots, a tremendous crash, and there lay 
the tree wilh its roots in air, leaving behind it a 
hole large enough to contain a cart and horse, at a 
small expenditnie of time and labour, considering 
the size of the tree. 
Costa Eica. -A Costa Eican planter fold me that 
he merely cut down the forest and burned off the 
lighter wood, leaving the rest to rot. This plan, 
however, could only be followed where the natural 
conditions favour the quiek rotting of the wood. 
It is to he preferred where practicable, as it adds a' 
very large amount of humus to the soil, which 
would be lost where burning is resorted to. 
Planting Cleaning up being finished, the laud is 
lined fur planting. Where irrigation is used, it ia 
usual to folio* the Uy of the land for convenience 
in irrigating. Various distances apart are used, 7-6 x 
7-6. 8 X 8, 6 X 10, 7-6 x 15, 12, x 12, U x 14, 15 x 15, 16 
X 16, 21 X 12 being the favourites. Various opinions are 
held as to the most economical distance at which 
b inanas should be plmted. 1 think the planter should 
be guided by circumstances. Where a method such a 
7 6 X 15 is adopted, I would recommend that ths 
wider distance should run north and south, so as te 
admit the sun. My own experience shows that io 
establishing bananas in hot land, close plantinn 
is the best meihod, say 8x8. Once the baranag 
are established, every other row can be taken outs 
leaving them 8 x 16. 
He LEs. — 1 have fc rnd it advif able, when the land, 
has not been ploughed, to dig fairly large holes, say 
18" X 18" X 12", so as to give the suckers a good start. 
Selection of Suckers. — The selection of suckers 
is a most important point, and one which will repay 
closer investigation than it has hitherto received, as 
on this depends the vigour of the young suckers 
and in a measure the streng h of the stool or root. 
Selection of seed, cutting, stock, and bud will 
always repay the careful cultivator. Small bulbs 
contain little nourishment for the growth of the 
young suckers; very large bulbs throw up too many 
young suckers ; which are apt to be weak. 1 have 
found true eye suckers from six to eight months 
old to give the best results, as they generally 
possess very vigorous eyes and contain a large 
amount of nourishment, possibly that which would 
go to make the final bulk of the tree, and part of 
the material from which the bunch is formed. 
Where the centre sucker is allowed to grow, fair 
bunches may be looked for, which is not the case 
where indifferent suckers arc planted. Then again, 
a quicker return will be got, entailing a les^ened 
cost of upkeep in cultivating, weeding and watering. 
Split Suckers. — Personally, I 'have never tried 
planting split suckers, but do not consider this a 
good method. I have seen half .in acre planted 
this way, the results not being satisfactory. 
Position or Suckers —The snckers are generally 
placed upright in the hole. Some lay them in 
slanting, even right on the side. This, too is a 
method hardly to be recommended 8s the natural 
grovyth of a sucker is to turn up, and not to grow 
straight up from the eye. Then when the eye 
sucker has exhausted the nourishment in the bulb, 
the latter, or the greater part of it, rots off, leaving 
a hole. This makes the stool liable to damage from 
wind, as it weakens the hold on the ground. The 
earth is raked into the hole, and preferably over the 
sucker, so as to protect it from the drying influence 
of the sun, and consequent ^loss of moisture. The 
soil should be moist when planting is being done. 
If, however, dry weather prevails, and the sucksra 
are found to be slow in making their appearance, 
irrigation may be started, care being taken not to 
put ■ n too much water, which is apt to rot the bulbs. 
Trenching.— Trenching should immediately follow, 
or even precede planting, so that the young suckers 
may not suffer any check to their growth from want 
of water. The; method of laying out a field for 
irrigation ia very simple. A main trench is dug 
from the point ol intake, aud led along the highest 
