The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-07-10

scope, the laws Of grayitation and the
planetary system. At 30he occupied the
mathematical chair Of Cambridge
How Bananas Grow and are Cultivated.
The most perfect banana plantation in
the United States is that of Colonel Wit
ner, near Silker Lake, over 200 miles
south from Jacksonville, Georgia, and
practically beyond the region Of killing
frosts. A daily line Of steamers renders
1t easy Of access frm Jacksonville and
other points upon the river. This planta-
tion covers an area Of several acres, and
contains over 10000 plants, most Of them
in bearing. The plants are of different
varieties. Some of them are huge trees,
twenty feet high, with trunk from six to
eight inches in diameter, while others,
and probably the largest number, are Of
the celebrated dwarf species, standing
from six to eight feet high, with trunk
from four TO FIVE inches in diameter. The
banana, as cultivated in this climate, bears
no visible seed, but it is propagated from
slips OF cuttings, which bear transplanting
well, and grow with great rapidity. These
slips are generally planted about eight
feet apart; if it is the dwarf species, an
acre Of ground contain from 600 to 700
plants. They require deep, rich soil,
and considerable moisture 1t has no
season, but the fruit natures generally 10
from eleven to thirteen months from the
date of planting, and by properly timing
the planting, ripe fruit may be obtained
at all seasons of the year.
Soon leaf of this blossom opens at the
pointed end and rolls back to the base,
disclosing row of Eve or six tiny bananas
nestled closely together, as il hiding under
the shelter Of this protecting leaf. Each
miniature fruit has waxen yellow flower
at the end, with stigma projecting through
it. Other leaves of the blossom unfold
one after another in the same way, until
twenty or thirty clusters of fruit are devel-
oped, all cling to one stem, when these
leaves wither and fall, and the fruit swells
and lengthens to maturity, which requires
generally about three or four months. The
great stem on which the fruit grows bends
under its weight until the long fnger-like
fruit hangs down in graceful clusters.
Each plant bears but a single bunch Of
fruit, and then withers and dies; but while
the fruit is maturing, there springs up
from the base of the trunk several offshoots,
which take the place of the old plant when
that has been removed, and growing to the
full size of the parent tree.
The fruit, when grown full size, begins
to show streaks of yellow upon its deep
green skin, when it should be gathered for
shipment to market, as it Is easily and
quickly ripened after cutting by wrapping
the bunch in straw or in blanket, and
keeping it in warm place. By cutting
the lunches at the right time they can be
shipped to New York with perfect safety.
Colonel Whitner has upon his plantation
today thousands of punches, in all stages
Of development, from she little maniature
buds to the well-maturcd fruit SIX or seven
inches long. Many Of those bunches con-
tain 125 bananas, which sell readily TO
shippers at two cents each, from which
may be inferred the great profits Of ba-
mana culture.
An acre of ground win readily support
600 plants. Suppose the bunehes average
seyenty-ive bananas each, and we have nm
annual income of 5000 from single acre
The cost of preparing and enriching the
ground and setting the plants the first
year, including the costs Of the slips, viii
average say, 81 per plant, leaving profit
of 5000; but they perpetuate themselves
after the first year, and require but little
expenditure. Besides, the shoots that
spring up from the bulbous root stock win
supply plants enough to double the ground
each year; or they may be sold for more
than enough to pay for all expenses after
the first year, thus leaving the 5000 net
for the second and succeeding years.
Humboldt states that an amount Of land
that win produce l 900 pounds Of potatoes
viii yield $4,000 pounds Of bananas, and
a surface bearing wheat enough to feed
one man viii yield bananas enough to feed
twenty-five men.--Atlaafa Herald.
Eyervhodv nosv-a dnva II a afadvu or !.