4 
THE PAN AMERICAN UNION. 
Jamaica, and Red Spanish. In comparison with the Gros Michel, 
the bunch is smaller while the fruit itself is shorter but larger in 
diameter, giving it a somewhat stubby appearance. Although the 
red banana has a pleasant flavor, there is a very limited demand 
for it. 
There are also many varieties of the banana and plantain which 
have not been definitely assigned to one botanical species, as there 
appear to be all gradations between Musa sapientum, Musa para- 
disiaca, and other species. Thus we have the red banana mentioned 
above; the apple banana and the lady’s finger, both highly prized in 
tropical countries, but little known elsewhere; the apple plantain, 
India plantain, maiden plantain; golden banana; Congo banana, and 
many other varieties. 
There are in addition so-called ornamental bananas belonging to 
the genus Musa, some of which have fruits resembling the common 
banana, but which are not edible, and these species, such as Musa 
ensete and Musa coccinia, are valued only as ornamentals. The 
Manila hemp, Musa textilis, is in the same group, having small fruits 
somewhat like the ordinary banana filled with seeds, but valued 
only for the fiber in the stalk. 
Search is constantly being made for some variety of banana that 
will be superior to the Gros Michel in flavor, shipping and keeping 
qualities, and in abundance of production, but so far nothing has been 
found to excel the Gros Michel, and this variety still stands preemi¬ 
nent as the one best suited to the requirements of the American and 
European markets. 
The banana plant is a rapidly growing herbaceous perennial which 
contains in the aggregate about 85 per cent water. It is probably 
the largest terrestrial plant not having a woody stem above ground. 
The real trunk or main stem of the plant is underground, and is a 
thick, fleshy rootstock, known as a rhizome, on which large buds or 
“eyes” are developed, somewhat as the eyes develop on the potato. 
From the buds on this short, solid rhizome, or bulb root, the leaves 
grow upward, the first ones tightly rolled and sharply pointed. 
Growth takes place rapidly, new leaves pushing up through the 
center while the stalk increases in height until it is several yards above 
the ground. What seems to be the trunk of the young tree is in 
reality only a compact mass of leaf sheaths, spirally arranged and 
overlapping. As the plant develops in size, the older leaf sheaths 
are pushed outward by the young growing leaves within, and a 
smooth, shiny, strong pseudostem, or trunk, is formed. At the 
upper end of the “trunk” the leaves cease to clasp the stem and each 
one develops a true petiole or leaf stem. These petioles quickly 
develop into immense, bright green leaves, or fronds, and spread out 
or rise almost vertically, giving a very graceful, palmlike aspect to the 
