Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-04-12
GRoWrNs BANNAds.


L. NJ wills In the National MhsaHhe.
In rich land the banana will obtain
its full growth ir from u to 10 months,
Welding bunch of fruit weighing from
b to 100 pounds. The average height
Of n pIant is between 20 and 20 feet,
but they often reach the height OF ~
feet, ard will continue TO produce
without replanting, from 10 to 80 years;
ITS leaves are often IL feet long ana
from ID TO IS inches wide, and OF q
most vivid green ccloi. These leaves
come from the center of the banana
stalk, making their appearance, wrapped
around the center rib, like nag
around a flagstaff. Upon reaching its
full length, it unrolls and waves 10
the balmy air like magnificent plunes,
frequently stretching across the narrow
paths, and SO shuts out the sun that
YOU seem to be riding or walking
through green tunnel. When those
leaves first unfold they are one long,
large leaf. but, being very delioate,
they soon become shredded by the wlnd.
The poems often cut a leaf and use ~
for an umbrella during the tropical
showers. After sending out dozen or
moro of these beautiful leaves, a leaf
much like the others, but not over two
feet long, then appears, signifying that
the plant il about to blossom. This
blossom, which in reality is the bunch
of bananas, starts from the very root
of the plant, making its way straight
up through the centre of the stalk,
coming out Just above the small leaf.
When the bunch or blossom first ap..
pears it has an ablong shape, and is OF
q deep, rich red color; three or four
days later the large, red blossom begins
to bend toward the ground, and as it
does this the long led leaves fall OF,
one after the other, showing that the
bunch of fruit is formed of long stalk
enciroled with layers of fruit, commonly
called hands: each hand made up oil
several individual bananas, CONNER
cially known as fingers, and ut the end
of each finger is small, bell shaped
yellow blossom. When the bud first
comes out the end of the banana points
directly up toward the sky, and as the
blossom turns toward the ground the
bananas, or fingers, keep turning in an
opposite direction, SO that the bananas
grow pointed up, instead OF hanging
down, as seen in the stores in this
country. The fruit is never allowed tt
ripep on the Plant, but is cut wher
about three-quarters or seven eights
full, according to the season of the veal
and the number of days required fol
transportation.
When cutting fruit on a banan,
plantation an overseer, with one or tive
cutters and dozen or more men, arr
sent out into the different districts o
the plantation. When they come to
bunch properly matured, they cut will
a machete little notch in the banan,
stalk as high as they can reach. Thi
allows the top of the stalk with tn
} bunch of fruit to bend until the carrie
can reach the small end with his hand
The sap flowing from this stalk, whel
cut, will color either paper or oiotl
with al indelihle brown stain, and ha
often been used for writing. Then til
cutter cuts off the stalk about four o
five inches from the bananas, the car
rier taking the bunch either on hi
head or shoulder, while the cutter cut
the then old stalk clear from the re
mainder of the mat, leaving it on tb
, ground to decay.
A banana stalk yields but one bunc
of fruit, and would die if it were nc
J cut down when the ffuit ripens c
natures. One mat will produce frol
one to three lunches year, CROWN
continuously, as fast as one stalk
cut another taking its place. A ri
. markable thing about this plant is ths
} if you cut into half grown stalk net
the root, or any Fart of the stalk,
small blossom or bunch of banana
fully formed, will soon shoot throug
i the cut; put if allowed to grow, wi
: never reach any market value.
Many people affirm that the banar
Q and the plantain are the same frui
but this is incorrect, although the
:. grow like the banana, an experience
: person can readily distinguish the di
, ference by the color, as we'll as by ii
!, size of the small ribs in the leaf. III
= Elantain grows in bunch, but wi,
only two or three hands to the buncl
!. and each finger or individual plantai
Q is as large as the banana, and is mo
:, of crescent Shape. They are new
q eaten raw. The natives cook both IL
y rlantan and the banana, but pref
. plantain.