The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1879-06-07
Bananas.
Orange, CAL, 1879

Editors PreSs:-Let me address The read.
ers of your paper, to say to them that
they cannot know the excellence of the
fruit of the Banana plant or they would
try 10 raise them Now it seems they
must have seen an advertisement in the
PIess for three months, that bulbs can lie
had very re sonably in San Francisco. of
Geo F. Sylvester, BIT Washington street.
or of me here in Orange. and yet few have
taken advantage of it, They can buy n
oulo Tor about one-tenth what they would
pay Tor bunch of bananas, raise a bunch
OF perhaps hundred in two years. mean
Time Increasing their stock ten-fold.
lfave carefully written up the IN .thod
oi culture, showed how much frost thew
would stand, and how to protect against
cold; and / think # people who have
MONIES We're awake to the importance oil
THIS branch of horticulture. bananas
would De seen growing all along this
Coast. wherever there WAS warm smell
Tered nook in the land, And how crafty
lngt How many have planted orange
trees aud been delighted above measure
when their first fruit appeared. when with
perhaps little more care, they could add
bananas, which are not simply little
pleasant Juice, but most excellent food.
People CAN live for months on bananas,
while they would starve on oranges.
The great observer Humboldt, says, If
remember rightly, that one acre of
bananas. in climate perfectly adapted to
them, will produce as much human food
IN year, as 100 acres of wheat, OF course
our climate is not perfectly adapted to
them. but am surprised at the amount
find can be raised.
have number planted between nv
orange trees. Two days ago irrigated
my trees, working all night and till l
o'clock next dav. Near IL O'Clock I was
nearly exhausted, I looked some for or.
anges None could be found. All gone.
l looked for bananas. Found a bunch
which had prematurely broken its stem,
ont hung there wilted, but ripened, small
but yellow. | began on il, found the fruit
sweet-r than common, ate about dozen.
felt strengthened ds though I had eaten
meal, and went on with my work much
refreshed What blessing it seemed to
have ouch luscious fruit hanging right
there, so handy at this time of wear.
They are not like the orange and other
fruits, having time to ripen. They know
no time but when they get ready. So it
will be from this slime on. think that I
shall have ripe bananas every day in the
year If depredators are not too reckless.
The Florida mammoth stands more cold
than any other. The Fruits not so fine as
the Chinese Dwarf, or Cavendish, hut Is
pronounced excellent; or AZ our Saniero
TO whom gave one the other dav, SAID
over and over, elegant" The Hortienl
tural Society pronounced them equal +,
any imported.
Having spent some years in tropica
climate. where bananas grow 90 finely
and having tried the tender kinds here fo
years. hecsme discouraged TIL meeting
Gen. Ruffian in Anaheim, who told M al
about banana culture i'm Florida, bow Sc
we're the frosts were there, and their plant,
had become Injured to cold. was salts
fed If we could get those thus acclimatcC
they would be success. got 22O bulbs
at once, they costing me sl.3O each bulb
They have done well. though l have no
been able to give them the attention
know they should have. planted then
in rather too stiff soil. which would b,
well enough If could add some manure
and old straw. pillow all in and make thu
ground porous. This would enable The
roots to grow more readily and feed the
plant more rapidly, making larger clusters
and larger fruit. But they bring from q
to 20 on bunch without this extra care
try to give them water and blowing
once month in warm weather. l know
they would pay for more work, but l am
well pleased they do SO well with ever
this. got them from Florida, and planted
them about the LIST Of May, and in less
than two years had number of punches
of ripe fruit, and their tropical verdurt
made grand appearance. A grove o
them is the admiration of hundreds al
they pass along.
Now Is q good time TO plant TIT
plants are growing fast already, and those
now set out will have all the not weathe
in which to form great mass of roots
which will enable them to stand the COLI
If next winter. While they will do pretl,
we'll planted even in July. would advis
those wishing to plant this year to ge
.hair hubs soon, plant in loamy, sand