, 1889-04-20

extent, was the TeGresliment centfe of h
very large clientele. The land on which
the houses stand is leased from the,GOv.
eminent, at II rent of $50 per month land
at the expiration of the term of Z years
lease, it is stipulated that the GOyern.s
ment in taking over the land and build.
ings thereon shall pay 3thA of the .aIpprais.
ed value of the buildings, which Cat the
present day. is $20. 900. The stock Of the
shops and the soda. factory is estimated
at $4,000. The goodwill has therefore
fetched about $4,000.
The following memorandum from a cor.
respondent gives the '0ther side, Of the
banana question - -..
During a residence of nearly 4 years
in one Of the country districts Of Jamaica
I had "A good deal Of experience in tbs
banana shipping business, as | sold them
TO higgierS, who paid Is. u bunch on the
spot and had to dray them to Kingston.
ten miles; or | sent the lunches OH my
own drays to the wharf: [ got there two
shil!ingS, two and three pence, and some.
times half.a-cT0wn for each bunch of 90
lbs. i'll weight that was passed. The over.
locker was most particular and when there
was II very large supply he would take no
bunch under 81 lbs, and all others at two
for one. In my case the rejected lunches
were left behind, not worth the carriage =
back, or sold for a few pence in the market.
| consider the proposed subsidy and the
scheme for growing bananas on u large
scale as utterly absurd and certain to end
in failure in the present stare of this colo.
ny: indeed | very much doubt whether
New York is within u tangible distance OF
this colony. Even with the run Of only
six days from Jamaica and every care,
there was a large loss on many CargOes,
and | believe the Customs authorities are
very stringent III their rules, there being
an import duty on everything coming intO
the States, in spite Nf its being u free
country.
The proposal to ship say 10000 bunches
a week all the year round is most absurd.
Any one who has lived in the States can
tell you that there are certain seasons,
notably the stra" BERRY, the peach, and
the apple and pear, not to mention the
orange, which, with SO much planting in
Florida and down South, is becoming q, +.
regular season, during the cOntinnance of
which bananas are quite unSalea6le; in.
fact, I knew u matI who lost q whole
cargo. OH which he had to pay the
import duty, because he shipped it with
Olb tuIlklHk duOuL Lie SlTHW OeFTIcS, WNIGN
came in % little earlier than usual that year.
When sou have u large peasant proppi.
etary, farming their Own small freehOlds,
as in Jamaica, then you will have n supply
of bananaS, brought TO market by the grow
ers in lot of fiye Or ten punches, from which
the shipper can make his choice. Planters
who went III for growing them wholesale
did not make money by them, and eve ! in
mv-owA~expeEieuce where had several
acres planted with trees in bearing, the cy~
clone of August, 1880, lett me next MORN
ing with only 6 trees standing. My small.
er neighbours who escaped the full fury OF
the storm were still able TO send their quota
of lunches to town, and. oiSa Friday night
thousands of women could'be seen f1Ocking
into Kingston with their bananas aud other
produce for Saturday market. / was glad
to take a shilling u barrel for splendid Or
anges, stem. cut and each packed in corn
rrash. aud they went to the American mar
ket!M rs $ +. III ., j. |# TrST
Having que. yeartbfee. large trees Of .
very fine kind of ipomellO or grape fruit. ]
Tot q. fruit merchant to send several bar,
rels of them on spec by his, steamer, giving
them To him, but they did not sell and .hS
would rot repeat the experiment. First kSee
10y VIZ ;
,l3f1F / u hta6-li s, 400 Il Is sss,