( 10 ) 
The bunches should be cut when about three- 
quarters grown, otherwise the fruit will become too 
ripe and the starch be converted largely into sugar. 
The bananas are peeled, sliced thinly with a nickel, 
bamboo or other knife which does not darken the 
fruit, and the slices laid on wooden trays in the sun 
to dry. Under good conditions the drying takes 
from two to three days. The dried slices are crushed 
in a corn mill or pounded in a mortar, and sifted 
through fine muslin. 
On a large commercial scale, artificial drying is 
resorted to ; this is carried out preferably in vacuum 
driers at a low temperature, or in special chambers 
or rooms in which the peeled and sliced bananas are 
placed on trays on endless travelling belts or con- 
veyors, and dried by forcing or drawing hot air 
through the chambers. 
Uses. In this country large quantities of 
bananas are consumed either as dessert 
or cooked as food, and very little, if any, fresh fruit 
is exported. 
A large quantity of fresh fruit is consumed in the 
United Kingdom, where it is estimated that over 
9,000,000 bunches are imported annually, principally 
from the West Indies. 
A new and rapidly increasing trade in the West 
Indies is now being carried on with dessicated 
bananas, which are used in the manufacture of 
banana flour, the latter having the peculiar flavour 
and odour of the fresh fruit. 
Banana meal or flour is highly nutritious and very 
digestible, and is used largely as a food for invalids 
and infants, 
