, 1889-09-11
Trinidad and the Fruit Trade.

AA OoGCCAAACNA OOLI CSpOAOOi6 ubo u Wd1u~
ed a small pamphlet to US, published in
Trinidad, from the Government Printing
Office, and written by Mr.. j. Fl. Hart, re-
Gently Of the Botanical Department of this
Island.
This pamphlet is an effort on behalf of
the fruit trade of Trinidad, an attempt to
stimulate the fruit growers of that Island
by holding before their eyes the prosperity
of jamaica in this industry. A little vel.
low leaflet just within the book makes this
startling announcement, startling to those
experienced i'll the ordinary ways of Gov.
eminent management of Railways in
Jamaica. Gin order to encourage the
Fruit Trade, the Government has decided
i'll the event of the Steam Service being
established, that all Bananas, Oranges,
etc. conveyed over the Railway for ship
ment, shall for three years, from 31St March
next, presumably March of the present
Year, be carried free Of c~harge.'
This is n wise step, we consider. In
Jamaica We have found the Railway hit.
ting the Fruit Trade so heavily by revised
rates, more particularly in the case of
Oranges, that it does not pay to send such
fruits over the lines.
This, however, by the way. The pamph.
let we have before us begins by stating
ChR tIn NuiptIC'l y ullIIlOI uuuCuCS
of Bananas during 1888, and it goes on to
state that there is good news indeed for
Trinidad, in the fact that sanction has
been given to the proposal of Sir w.
Robinson, to SubSidiSe a line of steamers to
perform the coastal service of the Island
and connect Trinidad with New York
direct, and that it is also proposed to run
light railways into the |interior Of tho
Island.
The writer of the pamphlet argues from
tins, that an era OF prosperity is dawning
for Trinidad, that will convert the Island
into an Colorado and that this flow of
wealth is to be produced by the develop.
ment of the Fruit Trade.
Mr.. Hart estimates that B mana growers
OfTrinidad will be able to get from Is
cents to so cents per bunch at their own
doors, and that the steamers will land
them in New York, in seven or eight days.
Truly Mr.. Harris subsidized steamers must
travel a good deal faster than our Atlas
BOarS, it New York is to he reached from
Trinidad IN Z days, since Trinidad is fully
three days further from New York than
Jamaica TO n fast steamer. While, there
fore, we cordially Sympathise with Mr..
Harris object in waking up his fellow
cOlOniSts III Trinidad to the possibilities
VI llClI pOStClOn, VIC ltdt ll6 ulSJduCS VI
Trinidad from New York will efectually
prevent that Island competing in the
fruit trade with places more favored as to
locality.
Mr.. Hart. however, in his little pamph-
let, although his piece de resistance is fruit,
points OUT that many other OF the products
Of Trinidad can be made, with energy and
perseverance,. to form important items of
the export Trade. He instances LOgwOod,
Palms aud Other tropical plants for sale
IN pots in New York; Coffee, which he
says can be grown almost in every district
of the Island Nutmegs, which are worth
Is per h., Ground Nuts, Tobacco, Tro.
Pical HardwOods for Cabinet.making, etc.
In speaking of This last item Mr.. Hart
diSclOSeS the fact that Trinidad suffers no
less than jamaica from the indiscriminate
use of the ''ire stick" He says Thousands
of collars worth (of hard wOOds] are annu-
ally destroyed byfire, when forest is being cut
for Cocoa Cultivation" $50 In fact there
has been great danger that many of our
valuable native woods would be extermi-
mated before their value was really known,
on account Of their having been no demand
for them ;" With regard to bananas, Mr..
Hart strongly advocates the obtaining ofBte
suckers from Jamaica of. the kind known
as ''Gros" or "Grand Michaep and states
that the Government are prepared toi6b@
tain these suckers frOm Jaimalca. ifIplan
ters will only send them Nrders:-JGSuica.