The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-10-14
ORIGIN oETHE BANANA.
Some Interesting Facts About This De-
lightful Tropical Fruit.


The banana goes back to the earliest
days. Alexander's soldiers, as Pliny
says, joined the sages of India seated
in its shades and partaking of the
delicious fruit. Hence the name
''sasientum," gives the plant. which
likewise bears the name of Jupiter's
fair daughter. Musa.
Now it has been shown that the
banana is of Malayan origin. How
did it get to India, to South America
and Mexico? The feet of birds have
born seed full 10. 600 miles. while the
cocoanut fioated well-nigh the world
around in the great ocean currents.
But the banana has no seeds, nor
has it casing like the globular cocoa
nut to float it around over the waters.
Then it must have been carried by
man. 1t is significant that the Aztees
had traditions of visits by people from
over the seas, while there was. to con-
firm it, an admixture of the religion of
the Brahmins in their own theology.
Would you think that the despised
banana. would actually step forward to
prove that, before Columbus was, or
Lief Ericsson even had an existence
some swarthy deEizens of the old
world had migrated across the waters?
Manila rope is made in the Philip
pine Islands of the stem of the banana.
This stalk. which usually grows to be
six inches in diameter. and from fifteen
to twenty feet high, has a very valua-
Bile fiber. from which are woven
beautiful textile fabrics. Many of the
finest India shawls and wrappers worn
by ladies of fashion are manufactured
from this fabric.
So, too, an excellent article of paper
is made from it. But are no varieties
of bananas wild? Yes, some have been
found in Ceylon, Cochin China. and
the Philippines. These, of course,
have seeds, but they are inferior to the
long, cultivated varieties. The banana
is cultivated by suckers, and it is in
this way that the liberal plant per-
petrates itself indefinitely. In Cen
trail Africa you may find thousands OF
plants that literally have in them the
germ and life of ten thousand years
duration.
family. and is developed tropical
lily. from which. by ages of cultiva.
ton. the seeds have been eliminated
duu lu0 1Eull 1OI WAlCu IL was Cu1tA-
waited greatly expanded. In relation to
the bearing qualities of this fruit, Hum
boldt, who early saw the wonders OF
the plant, said that the ground that
would grow ninety-nine pounds OF
potatoes, would also grow thirty
three pounds of wheat, but that the
same ground would grow 4. 600 pounds
of bananas, consequently, to that OF
wheat is 1873 to l, and that Of potatoes
A to 1. The banana possesses all OF
the essentials to the sustenance of life.
The savage of the sea isles and the
jungle owes what he has of physical
strength to this food.
Wheat alone, potatoes alone, will
not do this. When taken as steady
diet it is cooked-baked dry in the
green state, pulped and boiled in water
as soup, or cut in slices and fried. ]
do not know whose beauty / admire
the most, the majestic cocoa palm.
with its heavy crown of great fringed
leaves, or the graceful banana. with Its
great leaves, which are feet long and
feet wide.
The leaves of the banana are tender
and the strong winds of the tropics
the hurricanes soon tear the leaves il
strips. thereby, adding to their grace
and beauty. The banana is fruit
beast and bird. as well as man, are
fond of, and the owner, when he live;
in sparsely settled country, must
need protect his plantation by a fence
of some thorn plant. Gotdtso0dtte':
| GeO07.04hienL Mn0nzi9le