The Banana and Plantain belong to this genus, of which there are ten species. Stove herbaceous perennials. Suckers. Rich soil. The most valuable of the species is M. cavendishii; and upon its culture, and upon that of the whole genus, we have the following observations by Mr. W. Buchan, gardener at Blithfield: -

"To bring musas to a high state of perfection, they should be grown in a house entirely devoted to them. It may have a ' ridge and furrow' roof, nearly flat, and should be divided into pits about two feet six inches square, in order to grow the plants separately, so that when they have done fruiting, each may be removed and replaced without disturbing its neighbour. The stem of this musa seldom attains a greater height under the most favourable culture than six feet; and allowing two feet for the expansion of its foliage, a house ten feet high in front and twelve feet in the back, with sliding lights in the front and ends, would suit it admirably. But it may be easily fruited, and with good success, in a pit where there is sufficient height without crowding the leaves.

"The soil which suits all kinds of musa best is a mixture of half rotten dung and half sandy loam, with about one-fourth sandy peat, well mixed together. The pits or tubs, in which latter M. cavendishii may also be fruited, should be well drained, as the plant requires to be supplied liberally with water at the root when growing.

"They should never cease growing, and never be allowed to want heat and moisture from the time they are planted in the pit or tub, until the fruits have attained their full size. A strong moist heat, never below 75° or 80° Fahrenheit, should be constantly kept up; the plants frequently syringed over head, and exposed to full light, without any shade. This should be continued until the fruits are set and have attained their full size, taking care, however, not to wet the flowering plants. Young healthy plants will throw up their fruit in nine or ten months after being planted out, if treated as above; and as soon as all the fertile flowers are set, the end of the spadix, an inch or two above the last tier of perfectly set fruit, should be cut off. When the upper tier of fruit on the spike begins to change colour, totally discontinue water, both at the root and over head." - Gard. Chron.

M. Coccinea

The cultivation of this species is thus detailed by Mr. G. Watson, gardener at Norton Vicarage: -

"In the latter part of February, plant in pots five or six inches in diameter, well drained, and the drainage covered with a little moss. Plunge the pots into a bottom heat between 60° and 70" Water freely, but give no more water than the plants can take up from the soil. As soon as the pot is filled with roots, shift the plant into a pot a size larger. After it has filled this pot with roots, a final shifting into a pot at least sixteen inches in diameter may be given, and two or three suckers may then be left on the plant, which will succeed the centre or principal plant in blooming. At this last shifting, pot as many suckers in the same way as may be required for succession plants. The plant is growing vigorously in this pot; cover the surface of the soil with moss, and place the pot in a shallow pan of water, and water it at least once or twice a day. I continue to keep the plant growing till November, after which I gradually get it into a dormant state, by withholding water during winter. It is allowed to remain dry till the soil separates from the edge of the pot, and may thus be kept in a cool green-house till spring.

The suckers taken off at the last pot-tings, after being shifted into pots ten inches in diameter, and thrown into a dormant state at the same time as the old plant, will not only be much better wintered in the green-house, but will flower much earlier. In those parts where suckers are left on the mother plant, the centre will bloom by the beginning of May, and the suckers will flower in succession during the latter end of July and August, the latest flowers keeping fine till Christinas. Instead of taking off suckers in the spring, leave two or three on the mother plant till July, then take them off, and treat them in the same manner as the succession plants of the previous year." - Gard. Chron.