The Arizona sentinel., 1886-02-20
EANasSA CULTURE.

Janaca, It IS supposed that at least one cubic yard of water per hour to the acre, which is equivalent to 6S inches of rain fall per annum, is the medium quantity required. In these islands, as l have already said, difference is made for clay, stiff soils, and for sandy porous ones. In this last kind, Mir. Hill has found that the best way, is to set the banana beds to perfect level, and to dispose the ditches so that the water has to run alternately from the bottom or end of the first row into the second, then up and from the top of the second into the third, and so on in a zig-zag way, so as to force the water to run slowly and thus to thorougly permeate the beds. But in compact soil, a quicker flow is better, and then as Mir. Hanson says: "Whether the rows be straight or crooked depends on the lay or roll of the ground" There | is of course no rule about the frequen- cy of irrigation, which depends as much on the nature of the soil, as on the location and exposition, and on the frequency of showers; one thing must however be remembered, that bananas can be oyer-watered, and they will not thrive.
 About planting, the question is tc determine whether the plants must be be set deep or not, and 1t has been g vexed question, although of easy solu tion to keen observer. The depth of planting must be adapted to the ma ture of the plant, and the various var ieties of banana differ. All send theil roots out laterally, but some multiply that is to say form their ratoons iron the upper part of the mother plants and consequently have tendency ot growing out of the ground whilst oth CTS spring their suckers from under the stump. thus growing deeper at eacf generation. The first must be planted deep. the others more shallow. The China banana requires rather deeI i planting, for the reason also that 1t | thus better secured from being blowr down by our high winds, as the dwar plant is often hardly capable of bear ing the weight of the bunch, and many a bunch has to be proped up by sup port. Then comes the question O planting on the beds or in the ditches MT. Hill is of the opinion that in light shallow, porous soils, the first way k the best, whilst in heavy clay, plant ing at the side of the ditch, with quick running water, IS preieT22 1Ie:
 When it is possible it is good to ado fertiliing substances to the irrigation water; even horse dung can thus bt carried by water, to give start tC poor crops. l also procured a gooc recommendation from Mir. Henson who says; "Its planting in clayey ground or in old taro- patches, it is best to dig 1t over or 4 months before planting and mix up plenty of sand, saw-dust wood or coal ashes, or any light mater ial at hand; these with the action of the sun and air will take away the acidity of the soil.''
 About all seasons are supposed to be good for planting, the only thing to consider being the time at which, the crop can be expected In this country bananas are raised for exportation to California only, and 1t is best that they should arrive there in the winter and spring, for naturally in the summer and autumn, when the California mar ket is glutted with their own luscious fruits, our bananas have but a very poor show. It is consequently best to regulate the production as far as pos sible for the other months of the year, and as bananas take generally from l2 to Is months for maturing their fruit, according to the situation, - the warmth of the open plain near the sea being more favorable to the rapid growth and maturity than the coolness of the interior valleys-it is advisable to plant from October to April, in or der to secure the most marketable prices. There are also, some claim, different ways of hastening or retard ing the growth of plants, but these methods, which often only injure the plant are any rate, only good for anna ture raising on small scale.
 For planting, none but healty suck CTS, must be chosen, large at the root, small at the top, from l to ? feet long, Is inches being the best size. Set in a proper hole, with not two much ground thrown around them. The