Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-01-14
THE BANANA.
A Food Fruit and HOW to Protect it.


Editor Morning NetUS: This fruit is not
simply delicious luxury, like the pine apple
or the strawberry. but will sustain life like the
fig, and in some countries is the main food of
portion of the people. AS q preliminary to
opening the river Amazon to free navigation
by our ships, the United States commissioned
Lieutenant Herndon and MidshiI man Gibbon,
of the navy, to explore this mighty river from
its source to its mouth, which they did, and it
is stated in their official report that Brazilian
statesman deplored the existence of the banana,
since his country would contribute much mo re
than she does of her rich and varied commodi-
ties to commerce If this fruit did not enable a
portion of the people to live in idleness.
The statements as to its yield are almost in
credible. They range from seventy five fold to
an hundred and twenty-five more than any
other food plant. Are we to interpre5 this
that plat of ground which would yield corn
enough for bread for Que man, would Iroduee
bananas enough to sustain seventy-f1ve (or
more) men? II yes, its proGuctiveness is mar
velous, and its cultivation richly deserves at
tention. And the small area of one-seventy-
fifth of an acre (or less) would grow fruit
enough for frequent use by family, through
out the year, If skillfuly planted and efficient
ly protected from the cold. Being tropical
plant, it needs the hot sun, but also requires
abundant moisture at its roots Hence the say
ing ''I5 must grow With its foot in the water
1t has wonderful tenacity of life. Mr.. Lewis
of Hamilton county, Florida on the eve OF
frost dug up q banana stalk with green bunch
on it, and covered it with fodder In an out
house, es sugar cane is sometimes kept, and
the ensuing spring replaced it, when it grew
and ripened the bunch We suppose that q
banana bed or some scores Of stalks would [ e
yielding ripe punches each month, if securely
Allow me to offer device for this Make the
plat fifty or sixty feet long by about ten wide
Hoist a log over one edge OF this the long way
Ia dead pine with sap sloughed off would be
the best because the lightest and most du rs-
BILE. A team of four could haul one of suffl-
cient size. The ends should be smoothly
rounded, and should rest in the forks grounded
to match) of stout posts. Mortices for lever
should be made in one end. Let rafters into
the log and build roof over the plat. The log
being over the edge of the plat, the roof will
be on one side Of it. Let the rafters extend sew
eral feet the opposite side, and be weighted
with blocks, or otherwise, until they nearly
balance the roof.
Then, with q lever, one or two men may
raise or lower il. In the border counties of
Georgia and Florida it should most of the time
be raised, admitting the sun would not need
to be lowered many days in winter. Corn
stalks or planks should be leant around the
bed thickly enough to exclude wind and
driving rain.
clay pipe of terra Gotta, several inches in
diameter, throughout the length of the bed,
and extend it several feet beyond at each end.
AhAQ lIccISb OuAlu a AAAO Ab OuO Gnu 81
as to turn the heat into this. An archway OF
brick on stone would do nearly as well, also a
little trench covered with brickbats or rubble
stones, so that the sparks could not get through
among the stalks and punches. BY means of
the trench we have applied heat for the rapid
seasoning of lumber layered in daubed log
pen. For the sake Of giving the occasional
night attention conveniently, the banana plat
should not be too far from the dwelling. Want
of rain might be met with wheelbarrow and
water barrel. Two such plats would afford q
surplus of fruit for sale This roof might be
used also to protect oranges and lemons, or
other fruit trees trained low. Respectfully,
G. C.P.
Marion, Eta January Sth, 1881.