Smyrna times., 1878-01-02
The Banana Tree.


country before, is no better argument |
against its future success than the refec- |
ton that only red men were the aborigines |
of America would be against the possibility |
of European white men living here. Take,
for example, that valuable fruit, the banana |
At present it is not cultivated to any great |
extent in this country, though it exists on
our Gulf coast, and in some parts of Cali |
fornia; but we believe its cultivation might
be proftably carried to many places even
as far north as Maryland.
Throughout the tropical regions, the
banana forms the chief substance of whole
races of men. 1t is, indeed, inferior to
grain in nutritive qualities, but produces
much more yield to the acre. Half an
acre planted with wheat in Europe, would
support only two persons while in bananas,
in the tropics, it would maintain fifty. 1t
has been calculated, says Marion, that a
plot of ground 100 yards square in bananas,
will yield 1000 lbs in nutritive substance,
and, consequently, that this fruit is in
amount of product, as 1873 to l compared
with wheat, and A to l compared with
potatoes.
The easy conditions of growth and the
facility of its cultivation are also greatly in
favor of the banana. The tree in its tropi-
cal home is about Is feet in height. These
clusters, of fruit on the trees often weigh
from so to IS pounds, and sometimes in
clude from 100 to $50 separate bananas.
When the cluster is cut off the severed
stem dries up and new shoots rapidly
spring from its base preparatory to fresh
yield of fruit, which will appear in the
course of six months.
The cultivation of this precious tree ac
complished by simply protecting it from
injury and turning the soil at its root,
while its culinary preparation is achieved
by mere boiling, baking, or roasting, al
though it is susceptible of all the refine
ments of the French and English cuisine.
1t is needless to say that in a colder
climate than that of the tropics the banana
would require more care and labor, but
still, as far north as the milder portions of
Maryland by protecting it in winter, it
could be made to yield fully one-half of its
product on the Islands of the South Sea,
just as the Italian grape can, with scrupu-
lous attention, be coaxed to grow with a
, yield diminished at first, indeed, but in.
creasing from year to year in southern
Sweden. The half product of the northern
banana would still be more than 65 to as
compared with wheat, and % to l compar
ed with the potato. This, too, is con
templating the article in its commones
sense. Any one familiar with its price as
fruit throughout the Northern States in Ger
tain seasons will not need hint at othel
$ sources of much larger or reader profit.
Few things in the vegetable world offer
!. more majestcally ornamental presence il
the garden than the banana tree with it
superb foliage, its broad coronals of odor
! breathing blossoms, its rich clusters O
roseate and golden fruit, and its clean
! graceful trunk and, in contemplating it
the possessor realizes to the utmost senst
of the beautiful combined with the practi
o cally useful, since the fbrous part of it
stalks and leaves can be manufactured int
g excellent coarse linen and paper, and al
its green refuse is fattening fodder fo
cattle.
= There are thousands of acres of alluvia
land lying along the water courses of tn,
|. South that might be studded with thi
i vegetable gold.-N. Y Mercantile journal.