New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-09
THE BANANA AND THE GUAV1.
From The Boston Bulletin.

FROM
A slight description of the banana as it Is seen
growing NAV be interesting to some VINO nave en-
loved its delicious substance without khowmg
what form il presents during the primary stages OF
it's growth. The stem of the plant 10 not Woody
but consists the footsTalks of the former leaves
wrapDed round each other and 1t rises 10 the nelgt
of twelve or fifteen feet. The leaves are very large,
of a long, oval form five or SIX feet IN length ana
beautifully green in color. The mddle rlo OF tle
leaf is tough and strong but the rest OF Its sub
stance is thin and delicate, and easily torn ny the
wind alone ID direction of right angles with the
rib $50 =, e.. :. ,,, !;
ante interesting From the midst of tho leaves.
and at the Top, appears large smooth, purple cone,
hanging down gracefully at the end of stalk The
0owers are all wrapped up in this cone. which con-
ss;s of a largo number of closely packed spaties.
By-ahd-by the uppermost OF these sheatns as
engages itself from the reS curls mp, and dlsclOses
a row of three or four long blossoms, with the young
frnit of each beginning to form
While this row of fruit is tender, the sDathe re-
mains hanging over it like root but when the
fruit has acquired some Sz and strength. the pro-
tectlug shield drops off, aud the next IN order rises
mp. with similar row o young irlit, over Whicn IL
stands in the same watchu attitude. till IL also
drops OIL TO be- succeeded By another When one
circle OF fruit is completed another IL commenced
below and in due time another; while the common
stem around which the fruit IL disposed grows con-
stantly longer and the OF spathes dlrnlnsheS IN
SIZE tin ii all unfOidCd and Inonstrons Dnnch OF
bananas N finished. which seldom weighs less tnan
twenty or thirty and sometimes as much as seventy
or ghty pounds. Or all kinds OF vegetable nutrl-
ment the banana is perhaps the most productive,
After plant has produced it's bunch of fruit, the
stem ia either cut is suffered TO wIther and fall
on the spot In the former case. 1t Is gOod fodder
for cattle: in the latter 1t forms good manure for
the Young shoots winch have been springing from
tho root and which are soon ready to bear fruit In
their From these shoots or sprouts the plant
IL prOpagated.
Waking from the cane-eld to the sugar house,
we passed numerous gnava" trees. the fruit Of
which is used III making the delicious jelly OF that
name, for which Cuba is 80 justly celebrated. Ihe
tree is small. looking something ike our " cherry"
when young though tine leaves OF the guaya' are
larger and longer than those of the cherry and more
thny scattered on the tree 1t is natural to Cuba
and is Of pertnaclous life, covering and usurprng
the ground on which it permitted to settle. The
wood is close grained heavy. clothed with smooth
reddls coorad bark. The blossom ~ white, and re-
sembles plum or cherry blossom. more nearly
still large white myrtle The fruit in IFS natural
state is not so very desirable, though by some 1t Is
esteemed 1t IL nearly round and when ripe of a
brown Color something like Seckel pear. aud tast-
ing much like one oyer-rIpe. Ii has a tender rnd
or skim within which is the pulp OF a pink hue, and
filled with triangular yellow seeds. The fruit is
very fragrant, much SO that by cutting one open
It Will scent large room.