The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-09
THE BANANA,


the Canary Islands, is now not only dOmesu- |
Gated but grows wild all over the tropical |
parts Of this continent, and is found in abun- |
dance in all the South Sea Islands. The two |
species of the fruit found In our markets, and |
called the larger (and coarser kind) Plantains, |
and the smaller (of which there are several |
varieties), Bananas, are mostly brought from
the West India Islands. In Spanish speaking |
countries they are all known by one name,
Platanos, and in many parts of Central and
South America constitute nearly the entire
subsistence of the poorer classes. The larger
and coarser sorts are cultivated in preference
to the small, tender kinds, as the plant is
much more hardy, and the fruit, when cooked,
more nutritious and less cloying to the palate.
1t is hardly proper, however, to use the term
cultivation in connection with this plant, for
the amount of labor required in Central or
Northern South America to provide family
fair subsistence on plantains is not equal to
that which goes to the raising of a single
bushel of potatoes in New England. In fact
it may be questioned whether the existence of
the plantain tree, like that OF the bread-frut
or the taro of the Sandwich Islands, may not
be reckoned a curse rather than blessing to
mankind, fostering, as it does, habits of sloth
and idleness to which the inhabitants of warm
| latitudes are only too prone.
The tree is raised from shoot or sucker, of
| which FIVE or six generally put out from the
! base Of the trunk of the parent tree after it
|
| bushes in some part of the tropical jungle not
too much shaded are cut away, and the young
plant set out. 1t will take care Of itself, and,
| when once firmly rooted, grows with great
rapidity, attaining sometimes a height of
twenty-five feet within eight or ten months
While still young, at about the time of flower
ing, it is beautiful object to the eye; it's long
leaves of brilliant green wave gracefully in
| the breeze, and at little distance its nodding,
purple-tipped blossom has pleasing appear
ance. Later, as the older leaves die down.
and the stiff heavy cluster of bananas in
creases in size, it has sickly, miasmatic
look. The leaves are frequently above three
yards in length, and from foot to foot and
q half in width. From their somewhat apron
like shape, some of the old commentators on
Genesis have concluded that our first parents,
after their disgrace, had recourse to this
tree for their first garments, and its botanical
name, MuSa parddisiaca, is derived from this
tradition.
The plantain is an annual, dying soon after
the ripening of its fruit and as a number of
, young shoots or suckers, in various stages of
: growth, have already started about its roots,
, It is Immediately replaced without any inter
ference on the part of the cultivator, and a
constant succession of fruit ensues. The
, leaves of the plant are used to some extent
!, for thatch, though not well adapted to the pur-
pose. The fbres Of its thick trunk, often ten
or twelve inches in diameter, are wrought into
!
, in very warm and humid climates, as it re-
quires very large supply OF moisture. At
New Orleans the plant thrives, but the season
is rarely long enough to admit of maturing
the fruit.
The most luxuriant and heaviest growths
: of plantain the writer has ever seen were
!, upon the banks of the Guayaquil river, in
! Ecuador, and on the low shores of the Central
E American Republics. Along the coast OF
Ecuador, and far out to sea, RATS or balsas are
s frequently met with, loaded entirely with
f plantains OF enormous size, each separate
= fruit from fifteen to eighteen inches long, and
! a bunch weighing nearly hupdred pounds.
l This cargo is the sole food of the crew of the
> raft during voyages of several weeks dura-
tion. On coffee plantations the plantan-tree
: is frequently cultivated in very large quanti-
n ties, merely for the purpose of shading the
9 cofee-trees during the first two or three years
after transplanting.
Many readers may be unaware that a very
. excellent dessert dish is made from bananas by
' frying them in batter like apple-fritters. In
S fact, in the countries where plantsins and
bananas grow they are rarely eaten raw, and
. hardly considered as fruit. The coarser
E plantains are roasted with their jackets on in
7 1 the ashes, and the finer kinds cut in halves
4 | lengthWise, and fried. The idea is universal
4 in all tropical countries that wine CT spirits
q should never be taken Immediately after
eating bananas, under penalty OF a severe fit
: of collie. A common way of serving this fruit
In the Sandwich Islands is by cutting it in
slices like cucumber, and eating with milk
: or cream.
Among the lower orders in Catholic coun-
d tries, there is superstitioas aversion to cut
e ting with knife the fruit of the plantain,
owing TO the fancied existence within il of the
5, emblems of the Lords passion. II the fruit
3 be cut at right angles to its longer axis some
J. resemblance to cross and other sacred en-
|. blems may be seen in the section.
The small red varieties seen in our markets
e are only Guilty. ated largely in those countries
4 which have ready access to northern ports.
!. have rarely seen them in South or Central
]. America or the Pacific Islands. They grow
S on smaller and less hardy trees, produce less
. abundantly, and, when cooked, have no finer
= flavor than the coarser kinds.
Bananas will ripen perfectly on the tree but
e as the whole bunch would ripen at the same
: time, it is always cut of and hung mp in the
shade when the upper layers of fruit have
t reached their full size.
|, lnbuyingt this fruit, it should be remembered
= that the upper layers have attained greater
g maturity before separation from the tree, and
g they will therefore have finer flavor than
z the small, imperfectly developed fruit at the
y lower part Of the bunch.
9 They will ripen much more slowly in the
shade than when exposed to the heat and
: light OF the sun, but lose in delcacy of flavor.
Q Hearth and Home.
1