The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-05-27
RAISING BANANAS IN FLORIDA.
Interesting Facts Concerning this Lus-
ciOus Fruit-PrOfits of the Crop.

Interesting Facts Concerning this Lus-
ciOus Fruit-PrOfits of the Crop.
The most perfect banana plantation in
the United States is that of Col. Whitner,
near Silver Lake, over two hundred miles
south from Jacksonville, and practically
beyond the region of killing trosts. A
daily liHe of steamers renders it easy of
access from jacksonville and at all other
points upon the river. This plantation
covers an area of several acres, and con-
tains over ten thousand plants, most of
them in bearing. The plants are of differ
ent varieties. Some of them are huge
trees, twenty feet high, with trunk from
six to eight inches in diameter, while 9th
ers, aud probably the largest number, are
of the celebrated dwarf species, standing
from six to eight feet high, with a 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 or cuttings which bear transplant
ing 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 will contain from 600
to 200 plants. They require a deep, rich
soil, and considerable moisture. 1t has
no season, but the fruit natures generally
in from elpven to thirteen months from
date of planting. The cuttings once
planted, first develop two leaves tightly
rolled together, which grow to a height
of three or four 1eet, when the blades
begin 10 unfold one after another, into
great broad leaves, the stems FORM
ing a smooth Trunk, which grows
to the size of large apple tree, composed
entirely of these cOncentric leaf stems or
petals. In about eight or nine months,
according to the warmth of the season,
deep purple bud peeps out just at the
point of divergence of the upper leaves,
and soon pushes itself into full view, its
lengthening stem bending under the
weight of a purple blossom, shaped like
pointed egg.
Soon leaf OF this blossom opens at
the pointed end, and rolls back to the
base, disclosing a row of five or six ny
bananas, nestled close together, as if hiG-
ing under the shelter of this protecting
leaf Each miniature fruit has a waXen
yellow flower at the end. with a stigma
projecting through il. Other leaves of
the blossom unfold one after another, in
the same way, until twenty or thirty clus-
ters of fruit are developed, I'll ciinging to
one stem, when these leaves wither and
fall. and the fruit swelis and lengthens to
maturity, which requires generally about
three or four months. The great stem on
which the fruit grows bends under It's
weight until the long finger-,ike fruit
hangs down in graceful clusters. .
Each plant bears but 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 off
shoots, which take the place of the old
plant when that has been removed, and
90 on growing to the full size of the par
ent 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 wrap
ping the bunch in straw or in a blanket,
and keeping it in warm place. By cut-
ting the punches at the right time they
can be shipped to New I Iork with perfect
safety.
Col. Whitner has upon his plantation