Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 May 1916 — Did You Ever See One? [ARTICLE]

Did You Ever See One?

•James B. Sprague and daughter Elsie of St. Peterburg, Fla., came Friday for a week’s visit with his brother, R. W. Sprague, proprietor of the Iroquois Roller mills, and family. Mr. Sprague has been a resident of St. Petersburg for several years and is much taken up with that section of Florida. He brought with him to show his northern friends a banana blossom, which is indeed quite interesting to one who never saw any of this popular ‘’Dago” fruit growing. This blossonjjs perhaps six or eight inches in length and as large around as one’s wrist in the thickest part. It is cone-shaped and rather purplish in color. As the blossom developed the leaves open and turn upward, and under each leaf is a cluster of bananas, perhaps a half-inch or more in length. These after a time also upward as the fruit develops and the blossom continues to open ■until the entire stalk is uncovered and is exposed to view. Contrary to general belief, the banana grows pointing upward, instead of hanging down as tve see it on the stalk here where it is hung up from the bottom end of the stalk. The development of a stalk of bananas must indeed be an interesting sight to a northerner.