The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-06-26
THE BANANA.
Most Widely Distributed and Most valu-
able of All Fruits.

Most Widely Distributed and Most Valu-
able of All Fruits.
Not only is the banana the most
valuable Of all fruits, but it may also
lay claim to being the most valuable
vegetable growth in the world. It is
the only fruit which possesses all the
essentials to the sustenance Of human
life, and is probably the most widely
distributed of any natural fruit food.
In some countries it's position is as
important as that of rice in China, or.
wheat in the United States. In Africa
it is the staple article of food, and
every tropical village has its banana
fields, as common as the potato fields
of temperate climates.
Baron Won Humboldt estimates that
the arabic lands of Central America
alone can produce enough bananas to
feed the world, and so generous is the
Euitage Of this wonderful plant that
given area is capable Of producing 1873
times more food than wheat and, A
times more than potatoes.
Bananas are extremely sensitive, and
will not Withstand touch of frost.
They require deep, rich soil, but,
that being given, they 7epay>the labor
of planting and such slight cultivation
as is required to keep them free from
other growth, with yield so great as
to be out of all proportion to the work
expended upon them. After a while,
too, the plants aid in their own Guilt
vation by so covering the ground
about them with their own refuse
leaves as to effectually prevent any
other growth in their Immediate vicin-
ity. i;
There are many varieties, but the
kinds most generally grown for fruit
are the dwarfs, which attain a height
of only four or five feet. The smallest
of these produce the delicate fig ba-
nanas, unknown to the northern mar
kets, but almost the only ones eaten
as fruit in countries where the banana
is grown. The hardest of all the yari-
cites, and the one most widely known
in the United States, is the African.
This variety needs to be quite ripe to
be in it's highest degree palatable.
Most of the other varieties, as the
French, fig, dwarf, red, Cavendish,
lady finger and apple are regarded as
most delicate in their favor. Parties
growing for market usually select the
finer varieties, even though they are
Of more delicate vitality.
Bananas have no seeds, but are prop
agated from suckers, or roots, having
eyes like potatoes. Each eye produces
a plant, and from the largest Of these,
at the end of twelve month, will ap-
pear huge purple blossom, which de-
ponds from thick stem. It is big and
round at the base, and about Is inches
long, tapering to a point.
This blossom is composed of many
compact rows Of great overlapping
leaves, which gradually curl upward,
disclosing the tiny ''hands' Of ba-
nanas, each having from eight to ten
"6ngers," as the individual fruits are
termed by the growers. Thus the sue
cessiye hands are gradually brought to
view by the unfolding and dropping
of petals on alternate sides of the stem,
until the bunch is complete. Bananas
always curl their outer ends upward as
they grow, and not downward, as is
supposed by most persons who have
only seen the punches hanging upside
down in fruit stalls. After forming,
the fruit requires about three months
to GILL;" to attain it's full size. Then,
although still green, the bunch is cut
down and hung in shaded place to
ripen, for bananas, like pears, ripen
best after being gathered.
Only few years ago bananas were
brought to this country in small, swift
sailing vessels from the West Indies,
and were almost unknown except in
large cities. But the demand increased
enormously, and now there areregular
lines Of fruit steamers, devoted almost
wholly to the banana trade, running
from Boston, New York, Philadelphia,
Baltimore and New Orleans, to JAM
aica, Cuba and various Central Amer
lean ports, and bringing back bananas
by the million punches during every
month of the year.
In the United States bananas are
raised only in the extreme southern
portions of Florida and California, and
! most Of these go to supply the local
arkets.-New York Ledger.
Elephant Flesh Delicacy.
The flesh Of the elephant is eaten in
its entirety by several Of the African
tribes. The tools used are the assegai
and Ratchet. The rough outer skin is
first removed in large sheets. Beneath
this is a subcuticle, pliable mem
brane, from which the natives make
watershins. The elephant yields large
quantities Of fat, used in cooking the
natives sun-dried biltong, or dried
strips of elephants flesh, and also in
| tho nranaration If vopntah1os African