The Portland daily press., 1874-07-07
[From the Graphic.l
The Banana Trade.

The Banana Trade.
Within the last ten years the impo ortation
of bananas into the United States has grown
to largest proportions, and the demand for
this delicious fruit is steadily on the increase.
Thirty years ago it was rare that few
punches were brought to New York by some
West India trader, and only the more fash
i0nable fruit stores veDtured to keep them for
sale when other fruit was scarce. Now the
banana has become a necessity in the fruit
market. 1t is asked for at all seasons of the
year. In many cases the taste for it is ac-
quired, but once acquired it is lasting. The
poor as well as the rich are its purchasers.
Great golden and red punches hang in the
windows of Broadway stores, and at the
same time they are sold srgly at corner stalls
and by wandering peddlprs. This tropical
fruit has become as common in the, eyes Of
the children OF to-day as the orange
and the apple, and it is quite as whole
some as either. The banana is imported
from the islands of Cuba, Jamaica and San
Domingo, and from Aspinwall and the coun-
try adjacent to the Isthmus of Panama. The
importatiOns from the West Indies for 1873
" 90 saE ,.;'';'' .n,ai =, an ono n0l
.ra'no ,,,o ,Iorao " nf 10 "o0 Is,,aho =,
the importations from Kingston, Jamaica,
and of 81, ,SS5, lover 1922 from Aspinwall. At
the same time there was a falling off of 151,-
412 punches in the importations from Bara-
recfion f me trade is thai me Pa..if,c Mail
Steamships leave Aspinwall twice month
REQ ularly for New York. toucbino at Kings
ion and have been fitted m especially for
his business They hrino laroe rarooes and
find II very remnnerative IN tho last vow
aoe of the Acannlco She brouoht over O O6O
bnnches and received over $1,000 in freigbr
Rut fbe steamers are NOT ALWAYS 50 fortnnate
On recent voyaoe the the Henry Cbauncv
went ashore al KINGSTON was aoround far
four days in that hot Climate. and her entire
caroe was snoiled. Tile Steamship COM
nanies bowever OFT their freiobt Inf the
montbs of New Ynrl,ers were left 70 whistle
t,,r their usnaI snnnlv of fruit The yellow
banana ia rani,lv takino tbe MAGE of the red
in our markers potwit hstandlno there is an
exnresse,, nreserence for the latter The rod
is IaroerN and when fnlly rinened is more de-
Iicions bnt If ;s also more exnensive. to i'm
port and handle The red banana comes
nrncioalIy from Rarocoa in the Island of
Cuba: the yellow. CHI ef1 . from the Istbmus
of Panama. The lunches of the red seldom
number over seventy. The fruit-dealer who
buys for the importers in New York finds
tnat he can purchase 200 prime yellow han
apas for less than the sum he must nav for
seventy-five of the red So. while he pur-
chases few punches of the red fruit to graft
fv the fastidious and wealthy. he bnvs eSten-
siveIv of the Soutb American sr.cies for oen
eral sale and tor his own profit. This ac-
counts for the falling off of imports from Rar
acoa during the past wear. The establish
ment of extensive banana plantations in the
vicinity of Aspinwall and Panama, and the
regularity OF accommodation fol exporting.
have almost DESTROYED the West India trade.
The imrOrt ations from Aspjnwall this wear
will nearly double those ct 1873.
The plantation is a picturesque sight. The
rbaEana tree grows to a height of from ten to
Twelve feet. and sends out broad OF cen leaves
that curve gracefully and taper beautifully
from the crown of the tree. From the CEN
ter of the stalk single bunch of bananas
iuts ont and bends the trunk i'm its direction
as it increases in weight. The fruit takes
about eight months to reach maturity. but
when exnortad it is cut in green stale ard
ripened artiticially ia New York, The tree
hears but a single bunch. Then it is cut
down. hut a new stalk starts Immediately
from the roof. and there is no necessity for
nlantinu anew. Only when the pareEt root
has Stretched itself out bv nnumerable new
shoots If IS necessary TO divide it nm for trans
nlantino The duSky individual who has the
place in charge is not burdened with labor.
# is only necessary for him to keeo his fences
Of wild cactus in order and to keep down the
weeds. The sun and frequent showers do
| all the rest. Meanwhile he can swing at his
| ease liz his hammock in his bamboo hut,
| matched with palm, and calmly wait the ad-
| vent of .ssteamer day. When that impor
4 tant event arrives, and it is necessary to cut
4 the branches, everything is activity ITSELF A
| large force pours into the fields to handle the
| harvest carry the punches to the small cars.
| and pack them away tenderly aboardship.
| At the wharf, too, the scene is strange. From
] every nook along the coast dug-outs and small
| trading vessels come dancing over the waves
| with their burden OF bananas. They come
| fi' IN many miles away with a cargo of two or
| three or twenty punches. Their proprietors
4 are half naked, rugged. black and yellow men,
1 who pass their lives in little patches burned
1 out of the swamps of the mountain sides.
4 House and land cost them nothing; a years
| clothing can be gotten by weeks work !;
| food is at hand on land and in the water, to
| be had for the taking, and the branches Of
bananas raised on their clearings Luy them
their luxuries OF whiskey and tobacco. 1t is
an easy life-only one remove above their
neighbor, the sloth, who disputes with them
possession of the territory. There is one
| species OF the banana which is never import