New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1881-03-02
The Banana and the Guaya.

A slight description of the banana as
it is seen growing may be interesting
to some who have enjoyed its delicious
substance without knowing what form
it presents during the primary stages of
its growth. The stem of the plant is
not woody, but consists Of the footstalks
OF the former leaves wrapped round
each other, and it rises to the height of
twelve OF fifteen feet. The leaves are
very large, Of s. long, oval form; Ave or
six feet in length and beautifully green
in. color. The middle rib of the leaf is
tough and strong, but the rest of it's
substance is thin and delicate, and is
easily torn by the wind alone, in d.
rection of right angles with the rib. The
manner in which the fruit is developed
is quite interesting. From the midst OF
the leaves and at the top appears large,
smooth, purple cone, hanging down
gracefully at the end Of stalk. The
flowers are al wrapped up in this cone,
which consists OF a large number of
closely-packed spathes. By-and-by the
uppernost of these sheaths disengages
itself from the rest, curls up and dis
closes row Of three Or tour long bios
SONS, with the young fruit of each be.
ginning to form. While this row Of
fruit is tender the spathe remains hang
ing over it like roof; but when the
strength, the protecting shield drops of
and the next in order rises up with a
similar row of young fruit, over which
it stands III the same watchful attitude,
till it also drops Off to be succeeded by
another. When one circle of fruit 70
completed another is commenced be-
low aud in due time another; while
the common stem around which
the fruit is disposed grows con-
stantly longer, and the cone of spathes
diminishes in size, till it is all unfolded,
and a monstrous bunch of bananas Is
finished, which seldom weighs less than
twenty OF thirty and sometimes as much
as seventy or eighty pounds. OF all
kinds of vegetable nutriment the banana
is perhaps the most productive, and
most easily raised. After plant has
produced its bunch of fruit. the stem is
either cut or is suffered to wither and
fall on the spot. In the former case, it
is good fodder for cattle; in the latter it
forms good manure for the young shoots
which have been springing from the
root, and which are soon ready to bear
fruit in their turn. From these shoots
OF sprouts the plant is propagated.
Walking from the cane-tield to the
sugar-house, we passed numerous
''guaya'' trees, the fruit of which is
used in making the delicious jelly Of
that name, for which Cuba is so Justly
celebrated. The tree is small, looking
something like our "cherry'' when
young, though the leaves of the '.guava''
are larger and longer than those of the
cherry and more thinly scattered on
the tree. It is natural to Cuba, and is
of a pertinacious life, covering and
usurping the ground on which it is per-
mitted to settle. The wood is close
grained, heavy, clothed with smooth,
reddish-colored bark. The blossom is
white, and resembles plum or cherry
blossom, or more nearly still a large
white myrtle. The fruit in its natural
state is not very desirable, though by
some it is esteemed. 1t is nearly round.
and when ripe Of brown color, some
thing like a Seckel pear and tasting
much like one over-ripe. It has ten
der rind or skin. within which is the
pulp of pink hue and filled with trian-
gular yellow seeds. The fruit is very
fragrant, so much so that by cutting
one open it will scent large room
Cor Boston Bulletin.