Wichita eagle., 1888-01-27
THE POPULAR BANANA.
CUTTING THE FRUIT REVEALS THE
OUTLINE OF A CROSS.
Said to Be Adams Apple Tree-An Oft
Disputed Observation-Disclosures OK the
Into Favor.

Disputed Observation-Disclosures OF the
Banana-How 1t Has Lately Sprung
Into Favor.
Girsrd. the old English botanist, in refer
ence to the banana, says it is Adams apple
tree, and that whichever way the fruit may
be cut the form of a cross may be seen in it.
Again, tradition further asserts that in Cey-
Ion, where, according to some, Paradise was
situated. there exists tremendous banana
tree. the fruit Of which when cut transverse
ly, presents the figure Of a man crucified;
and local tradition asserts that from its huge
leaves Adam and Eve made garments for
themselves But whether Adam ate the ba-
mana in the Garden of Eden OF not must be
a matter of complete Indifference TO those
who live in the Nineteenth century; yet If
the banana be the tree that produced the for
hidden fruit that 1.-THE woman saw was good
for food, pleasant to the eyes, and tree to
be desired to make one wise, we cannot be
surprised she was tempted to eat it. AT any
rate the description, to our mind, applies
with especial force to the luscious clusters OF
this popular fruit
The antiquity of the banana is beyond dis
pute. PGny, among other ancient scribes,
undoubtedly speaks of it under the name OF
pala. After writing upon the properties OF
the Indian fig, he says: There is another
tree in India, still larger and even more re-
markable for the size and sweetness of its
fruit upon which the sages and gymnoso-
phSts of India live" True, some authorities
contend that this does not in reality apply to
the banana at all, but to another Kind Of
fruit; Upon the face of it, however. with
due respect to these adverse and able opin-
ions, we think we are safe in asserting that it
does. So much for fancy-now for fact.
AN OFT DISPUTED QUESTION
As I have previously stated, to refer to the
muSa, or plantain tree, is tantamount to
opening the oft disputed question as to
whether it be native of southern Asia or Of
the New world. 1t was generally considered
as being native OF the former until, as De
Candolle states, Humboldt threw doubts
upon its purely Asiatic origin, terrifying his
contention by an appeal to numerous write S
who maintained that the banana was cult
waited in America before the Conquest. Yet,
even this point may be left in allegiance; and
whether l incline TO the general belief that
probably the species was introduced by tho
Spanish into San Domingo and Brazil or not,
JIG - tlSGt --IitO Va AIt ltS pODu-
larity for the table has vastly increased, and
if it possesses the healthful properties attrib-
uted to it this is not to be wondered at With
regard to their cultivation, we find that not
only do they require tropical heat, but that,
on the other hand, no fruit is more suscepti-
bic to frost than the banana, and even in the
tropics, says old Philip Miller, they are care
fully cultivated by the planters, who raise
them in low. rich ground by the side of gull
les, where they produce fruit most parts Of
the year.
/ suppose it is now pretty well known that
most of the bananas are raised in the West
indies, the Island OF Jamaica especially
though they grow freely in all tropical lands.
The fact of their cheapness here shows that
they must be easily cultivated; and this is SO,
for even the widest tribes in South America
and elsewhere succeed well in raising them.
In the culture of this lusciC US fruit it is not
too much TO say that Nature seems to do all
the work herself, the share necessary for man
being almost nil, since ali the labor needed
in cultivating the fruit consists in setting out
the suckers that form the trees, Nature being
then left to do the rest until the time to cut
the fruit arrives
This occurs within a year from planting,
the plant, or rather the tree, by this time
having reached height OF ten feet. Where
considerable intelligence is brought into re-
QUESTION the suckers are set out regularly to
make plantations, with the trees about fif-
teen feet apart, something like our orchards.
In case irrigation is practicable for the
plants do best in a damp, clOggy soiD
trenches are dug between the rows for water.
On the other hand, the plants are in most
cases planted about the above distance, but,
OF course, as with our orchards so with our
banana plantations. 1t is now admitted that
they both thrive and succeed, and yield best,
too, il planted further apart than is custom
airy at present. With the natives and others
the planting of the suckers is done with a
primitive and ponderous hoe.
EASY OF DIGESTION
Doubtless no fruit is more easy of digestion
end SO healthful as the banana 1t takes on
an average only one hour and forty-five min
uteS' stay in the digestive organs, and is, I
believe, the only fruit III existence that re-
quires such short time to do so; evsn ripe
pears require more, and the proverbial ripe
strawberry takes one hour longer Hence, to
the epicure, the above fruit, in my opinion,
offers especial advantages, and when proper
" ripe forms q delicacy that has few equals.
Like that of the tomato, the enjoyment of
the banana arises though not to such a Great