The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1899-04-26
Cabbage Banana"

"CaO Dage BANANA.
"a memorable event in my life
said Mr.. VIM. r. Smith, superintend-
ent of the National Botanic Gardens,
to a Star reporter, was when | was
first introduced to the musa ensete,
a plant that deserves to be better
known in this country. l was seated
in the parlOr Of one of the most unique
of American homes, Mr.. HunnewellS at
Wellesley, twenty-five or more years
ago. With me were Mayor Wallach of
Washington and General Michler, en-
gineer in charge of public buildings
and grounds. We were on trip North
in search of rare and beautiful plants
to decorate the Presidents conserva-
tories. A messenger had gone to find
the owner that we might obtain per-
mission to inspect the rare gems of ma
ture collected there. My anxiety for a
closer inspection of the rich mahogany
mid-rib and fine contrasting green Of
the majestic leaves amused Mr. Hun
newell and my travelling companions
very much. 1t was growing in the cool
conservatory adjoining the residence.
The scene has left delightful impress
sion on my mind never to be removed.
[ was delighted to see, in a Seedman'S
catalogue, that the seeds could be
bought for penny apiece, thus putting
it within the reach of millions, a much
to be desired result rarely considered
by the average horticulturiSt or florist.
It's ornamental value may be eclipsed
by it's usefulness as an esculent, and
it's name be the Cabbage banana |
am the fortunate owner of rare first
edition of James Bruce's travels to dis
cover the source of the Nile in Egypt,
Arabia, Abysinia and Nubia, published
in Edinburgh, 1890. No author was
more traduced, abused and vilified
than Bruce; the Grub street hacks, the
penny liners, and even old gruff but
honest Sam Johnson, took hand at it,
and yet all he wrote, with few unim-
pOrtant exceptions, has been verified
by subsequent travellers. There are
two plates of enSete in volume five,
page thirty-fve, accurate and interest
ing. The following extract from the
text may lead to the adoption of a new
vegetable:
cit is said that the Gala, when
lIduSDldulGu III w <AUy U1OuSAl
for their particular use the coffee tree
and the ensete, the use of neither of
which was before known. However,
the general opinion is that both are
naturally produced in Abyssinia, pro-
vided there is heat and moisture. 1t
grows and comes to great perfection in
Gondar, but it most abounds in that
part of Maitscha and Goutto west of
the Nile, where there are large planta-
tons of it, and is there, almost exclu-
sive of anything elise, the food of the
Gala inhabiting that province; Matt
sha is nearly upon a dead level, and
the rains have no slope to get off cas-
lily, but stagnate and prevent the SOW
ing of grain. Vegetable food would,
therefore, be very scarce in Maitsha
were it not for this plant.
AS soon as the stalk Of the ensete
appears perfect and full of leaves, the
body of the plant turns hard and fib-
rous, and is no longer eatable; before
it is the best of all vegetables.
"'When you make use of the ensete
for eating you cut it Immediately
above the small detached roots, and
perhaps a foot or two higher, as the
plant is of age. You strip the green
from the upper part till it becomes
white; when soft like a turnip well