New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-06-20
Raising Bananas in Florida.

The most perfect banana plantation il
the United States is that of Colonel Whit
! Her. near Silver Lake, over 200 miles south
from Jacksonville, and practically beyond
the region of killing frosts. A daily line 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 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 q
| trunk from six to eight inches in diameter
while others. aud probably the largest num-
Der, are Of the celebrated dwarf species,
standing from five to six feet high, with a
| trunk from four to five inches IN diameter.
| The banana, as cultivated in this climate,
| bears no visible seed. but i: is propagated
from slips or cuttings which bear trans
! planting well. and grow with. great rapid
ity. These slips are generally planted
about eight feet apart; if it isSthe dwarf
species, an acre of ground will contain from
coo to 700 plants. They require deep,
rich soil, and considerable moisture.
|: has no season, but the fru: natures
generally IN from eleven to thirteen
months from date 0; planting. and by
properly timing the planting. ripe fruit
may be obtained at all seasons of the year.
The cuttings once planted. first Gevelope
two leaves tightly rolled together. which
grow to height of three or four feet. when
the blades begin to unfold one after
another, into great broad leaves. the stems
forming a smooth trunk. which grows to
the size OF large apple tree, composed en-
tirely OF these c0ncentric leaf stems or
petals. In about eight or nine months, &C
cordiDg TO the warmth of the season. a
deep purple bud peeds out Just at the point
Of divergence of the upper leaves and soon
pushes itself into tall view. its lengthening
stem bending under the weight of purple
blossom shaped Ike pointed egg.
Soon leaf ~ this blossom open. q. the
pointed end, and rolls back 70 the base. dis.
closing a row of five or six tiny bananas,
nestled close together, as il hiding under
the shelter of this protecting leaf. Each
miniature fruit has a waxen yellow flower
at the end, with stigma projecting through |
IL. Other leaves of the blossom unfold one
after another, in the same way. until twenty !
or thirty clusters OF fruit are deveiopei all |
ci!Dglng to one stem, when these leaves |
wither and tall. and the fruit swells and |
!engthens to maturity. which requires gen. |
orally about three or four months, the |
great stem on which the fruit grows bends |
under its weight until the long fin ger like !
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
which take the place Of the old plant when
that has been removed. and go on growing
10 the 1ull size OF the parent tree.
Ahe fruit, when grown full size. begins 20
show streaks of yellow upon its deep green
skin. when il should be gathered for ship
nent TO market. as it is easily and quickly
.pened after cutting by wrapping the
punch in straw or in blanket. and keeping
in warm place. By cutting the punches
It the right time they can be shipped to
Sew York with perfect safety.
Colonel Whitner has upon hi. plantation
o-day thousands Of punches, in all stages
f development, from the little miniature
'uds to the we'll matured fruit six or seven
inches long. Many of those punches con-
ain l2J bananas, which sell readily to ship
ers at two cents each, from which may be |
,ferred the great profits of banana culture.
An acre OF ground will readily support |
Do plants. Suppose the punches to average |
evenly i've bananas each, and we have an
nnual income of $500 from q single acre.
he cost Of preparing and enriching the !
round and setting the plants the first year,
'cludiHg the cost of the alps, will average,