Most Unusual Request of the Year

[Tyghress]

At least from me it is!

I am in need of a book with pictures (the more the better) on tropical trees, specifically banana trees. Mahogany trees would also be good, but the current request is for banana trees.

Failing to find an actual book on banana trees, mahogany trees, tropical trees, I will make one, so I'll take any information at all that will get me good pictures of the trees, plantations, etc.

I have a relative with mental retardation who is currently fixated on banana trees, (we've bought him nearly every book we can find on trees in general over the years) and I would like to make his day with this. If anyone has any other ideas on getting/making such a book, please drop me a note!

Many thanks,
Tyg

[Tyler]

I am in need of a book with pictures (the more the better)

That's not so odd...I know a few people around here that like books like that....
seriouisly though, have you tried amazon or alibris?

[Wombat]

Not very helpful, but I have a couple of banana trees in my back yard.

I think your best bet might be to look for books on the banana industry and maybe assemble photos from them. Either that or look for photos of tropical/sub-tropical gardens and pick the ones with bananas. They're nice trees but people don't assemble picture books of them.

[djm]

I don't see anything on amazon that would really be appropriate. Going to <A HREF="http://images.google.ca/images?hl=en&q= ... =2">Google Image</A> and making your own picture book would probably be your best bet. If you could borrow Redwolf's colour duplex laserjet you could probably put a very nice book together yourself.

djm

[dwinterfield]

Seems tyo be out of print, but google turned up several similar books, all seeming to come from Australian development programs in the South Pacific.

Illustrated Guide to the Identification of Banana Varieties in the South Pacific

ACIAR Monograph Series Number 33

This product is withdrawn

J Daniells

46 pages
Publisher: ACIAR
Publication date: 1995



Paperback - ISBN: 1863201386 - AU $25.00
Description | Related Categories

Description
ACIAR has funded research in Western Samoa, Tonga and the Cook Islands in collaboration with the Queensland Department of Primary Industries in order to introduce to the four countries involved banana varieties resistant to the highly damaging leaf disease black sigatoka. This guide will aid the introduction and adoption of appropriate disease-resistant varieties by assisting with their classification and identification through keys, lists and photographs.

[/code]

[Hoochie]

I was given some banana seeds once. To my surprise they grew into quite big trees (no bananas tho). Might be a nice gift also for your relative.
Best wishes with your project,
H

[Wombat]

Seems tyo be out of print, but google turned up several similar books, all seeming to come from Australian development programs in the South Pacific.

Yes, we take pride in our position as number one banana republic.

[emmline]

Don't know if it would be useful, but this company and others make paper and notebooks out of banana paper (pulp from banana fiber) as well as coffee, lemon, mango.

[Wombat]

Don't know if it would be useful, but this company and others make paper and notebooks out of banana paper (pulp from banana fiber) as well as coffee, lemon, mango.

They make coffee, lemon and mango from banana paper?

I want shares.

[Cynth]

I think you could find a lot of pictures by googling images---banana tree, banana tree cultivation, banana plant, banana, etc. I didn't come across any books but I saw tons of pictures. I think any books would have a lot of words in them and not enough pictures.

I think there must be companies, or even individuals, that have printers that could print the pictures you chose---although I suppose there could be some copyright issues, oh dear, but maybe not for all pictures. I think there would be questions of what quality you needed (probably it wouldn't have to be the ultimate in photographic printing since hardly any books have that sort of printing, I don't think) and the price---possibly the expense would be too high, I have no idea what it would be, although if there are other relatives maybe everyone could chip in a bit. Possibly even these same companies would bind the pictures for you----maybe a spiral binding (definitely the right thing if the paper is at all stiff), or hard covers. I am thinking of commercial binders of the sort who bind the theses of graduate students, who do just a copy or two of something. Or who print up someone's family history for them. I think many people have little printing and binding jobs done. You could always mount the printed pictures in some sort of scrapbook yourself also but I think binding can be done quite inexpensively even for a single copy and scrapbooks seem to have such extreme covers now days. I don't know.

I would look up "printing" in the phone book and call a few places and tell them what you want to do and just see what they say. Probably in the phone book they will say if they do small jobs. You could ask the printer about the binding part of the book at the same time. At least you can find out how feasible it is to make the book yourself. It could be really fun if it isn't way too expensive---I know you are happy to spend some money on your relative, but I'm sure there has to be some limit as to what would be within reason.

Good luck with your project and I'd been wondering where you were so it's nice to see you around!

[I.D.10-t]

Have you tryed checking for a book on their family Musaceaeor the genus Musa?

Check the wiki footnotes like this one for aditional leads.

[Jeferson]

If you end up putting one together on your own, websites of companies that sell such plants will be a big help. The one below, for example, has lots of good pics (and background text that would make a helpful "companion book").

Google search for "buy banana plants" shows this one first:

http://www.greenhousebusiness.com/bananaplants.html

Good luck in your quest! I've done similar projects for important people, too, and that reward written on the recipient's face says it all!

Jef

[Jack]

You should ask your nearest reference librarian. This is what they are paid to do.