Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-01-31
The Banana and the Guava.

y slight description of the banana as II
is seen growing may be interesting to
some who have enjoyed its dcliscious sub
stance without knowing what form it pre-
sents 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 il raises to the height of twelve
or fifteen feet. The leaves are very large.
of a long oval form; five or six feet in
length. and beautifully green in color.
The middle rib of the leaf is tough and
strong. bat the rest of its substance is thin
and delicate. and is easily torn by the
wind alone. in Il direction at right angles
with the rib.
The manner in which the fruit is devel-
oped is quite interesting. From the midst
of the leaves and at the top appears n
large. smooth. purple cone. hanging down
gracefully ut the end of the stalk. The
flowers are all wrapped up in this cone.
which consisSs of n large number of close
~ packed spathes. By-and-by the upper
most of these sheatbs disengages itself
from the rest. curls up. and discloses u
row of three or four long blossoms. with
the Young fruit of each beginning to form.
While this row of fruit is tender, the
spathe remains hanging over it like roof;
but when the fruit has acquired some size
and strength, the protecting shield drops
off, and the next in order rises up, with a
similar row of young fruit. over which il
stands in the same watchful attitude, till
it also drops of 10 be succeeded by an
other. " hen one circle of fruit is COM
plcted, another is commenced below. and
in due tine another, while the common
stem around which the fruit is disposed
g.ow1 constantly longer, and the cone Of
spaihes diminishcs in size. till it is all un-
folded. and monstrous bunch of bananas
is finished. which seldom weighs less than
twenty or thirty and sometimes rs much
as seventy or eighty pounds OF all kinds
of vegetable nutriment the banana is per-
hans 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 FORM
er ease, it is good fodder for cattle; in the
latter it forms good manure for the young
-hoots which have been springing from
the root. and which are soon ready to bear
fruit in their turn. From these shoots or
sprouts the plant is propagated.
Walking from the cane field to the su-
gar-housc, we passed numerous guava
trees, the fruit Of which is making the de-
licious Jelly of that name. for which Cuba
l. 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 1t is natural to Cuba, and is of
pertinacious life. converting and usrrping
the ground on which it is permitted to
settle. The wood is close-grained, heavy.
clothed with a smooth. reddish-colored
bark. The blossom Is white, and resem-
bles plum or cherry blossom, or more
nearly still, large. white myrtle. The
fruit in its natural state is not so very de-
sirable, though by some it is esteemed.
II is nearly round. and when ripe Of
brown color. something like a Seckel
pear, and tasting much like one over-ripe.
1t has tender riDd or skin. within which
is the pulp Of pink hue. and filled with
triangular yellow seeds. The fruit is very
fragrant; SO much so that by cutting one
open it will scent a large room. Boston
Bulletin.