Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-08-21
BANANA FARMS IN COSTA RIoA.
Land where Fortunes Are Easily Made aud
where snakes Flourish.

=
Where snakes Flourish.
From the New York Star.
The cultivation of bananas in Costa Rca
began about six years ago on the lowlands,
and now all the land along the line of rail-
road, one mile wide, is taken up by the ba.
mana farms, a majority Of which are owned
by citizens of the United States. Each farm
il one mile square, the land having been pur-
chased for $40 manzana-about one acre and
half of our land measurement There are
now about $50 square miles under profitable
cultivation
1t is only necessary to cultivate the banana
iu Costa Rics, to cut down the forest, and
then the land is ready to receive the seed
The plow and the harrow are unknown. The
trees are allowed to lay where they fall.
What is called the banana sucker, bulb re-
sembling an onion. Is planted about Is inches
deep, and from Is to Is feet apart in among
the fallen trees.
mana plant has reached height of 10 feet,
| and bears one bunch of fruit Fifteen or 70
| OF these plants or trees In various stages o!
| development are seen at once sproutiug from
| the same sucker" bearing fruit successfully
| the year around for from to 10 years from
| the first planting. Along the river banks,
where the soil is renewed, they bear 20 years
| from the first planting.
When the bananas are ready to cut far
| mer who cultivstes mile square of land will
take about 40 men, five Of whom are regular
| cutters, and the others convey the punches
| out to the cars in mule and OK carts rs fast as
| they are cut. In q day and q half the crop is
harvested. The laborers are all Jamaica ne
| groes and natives, who receive 81 25 per day
| for their work. These negroes are almost all
| English subjects, and, like the negro OF the
Southern states, they always have com plants
TO make. They call themselves " English
| objects" and II they imagine themselves Inn.
posed upon they threaten to "go an tell
Mrs. Queen, an she sem her gunboat," al
luding to Queen Victoria, whom they look
upon as the most powerful person In the
world. When q ship comes into the harbor
flying the English flag, they say " OATS
Mrs Queens ship ; she 60 an tell somefin
to English councilman dAts whar Mrs
queen sends dem fur" They work hard al
day, drink rum and dance nearly all night
and are ready TOR work early in the morning
as bright and apparently as well rested ,g il
| on the train they are taken to Port Limop,
placed on a vessel and brought TO New York.
/ The steamer Foxhall, named after the Amer
ican horse, but flying the English flag, owned
by MIR. Keith, Of Brooklyn, carries Il, OOC
punches of the fruit to New Orleans every
fortnight. So, all along tho line OF the road
the succulent banana Is making fortunes fof
those who had the courage to tempt the eli
mate.
The snakes make stranger feel rather un-
comfortable. They have variety Of them,
| and when the traveller reflects that the bite
| Of almost every species Is fatal he IL quite
likely to keep watchful eye on his sur.
| roundiugs. Quite a number OF New York
people expect to go to Costa Rica during the
coming fall.