Orange County observer., 1891-07-18

1T HAS MADE GREAT STRIDES
IN RECENT YEARS.
origin OF the Industry-Where the
Irn't Comes from-How 1t is
Grown aud Transported
to This Country


industry, and one which canno; well be
taken away from the United States by
any foreign country, is the trade in
bananas. 1t is one of the best known
trades to everybody in America. and at
TIE same time as little is known about
where the fruit comes from and how it
is shipped aSif the fruit belonged to the
strangest vaketies which reach this mar.
ket. Probably no trade has received
such strict attention or has shown such
rapid strides in the past few years as this
one. Strange rs il may seem, while
bananas are shipped 10 no other country
but America. with the exception of the
Pacific Mail line of steamships there is
not an American vesse! in the trade.
During the last year, from January 1st
to December 3lst II, $50, $50 bunchcs of
bananas reached the United S.atesA As
| It is estimated that each bunch averaged
one hundred bananas, more than one bill
hon were distributed throughout the
country last year, or sufficient to allow
every man, woman and child in America
20 have had about twenty bananas to eat
Placed end to end they would have ex-
tended distance OF more than three
times around the globe.
| No fruit ever gained suc, widcs preal
popularity in short a time. Fifteen
years ago 1t was comparatively unknown
except in the large cities and even there
it was only supplied in comparatively
small quantities to the largest hotels aad
among the wcalthjer class of people
\ The trade dates back in its incipencv
to about thirty five years ago. The first
bananas that reached the United States
were from Baracoa. At that time the
| natives of Baracoa and its neighbo.nool
We're rasers of tobacco principally Most
| of the tobacco growers, howcaer, raised
few bananas On tlcir plantations for
their own use. They were not such
yellow ones as are now shipped to this
country, however They We're Of the
red variety, with few sEiall yellows,
which were then known rs sporgie'
bananas.
Among the men who were interested
4 i, ID
Spanard OF the name Of Gomez He
was not only interested in more than one
tobacco plantation, but kept 4 general
store at Baracoa anl made Il business OF
bartefing provisions for tobacco. Occa-
sionally "a farmer would bring in from
his plantation ten or dozen punches Of
bananas These Mr. Gomez would give
to the captain Of vessel bound for New
York or New Orleans with instructions
to trade OF for whatever he could get 70:
them--a pair OF shoes, clothing or the
like. The idea OF shipping them to sci
was no. thou 5ht Of. The oay vessels
Il from Baracoa at that time were schoou
ers, and the voyage to New ! ork usual,
occupied from twelve TO fifteen lays. i
, the end of such voyage it was usual,
found that fully fifty per cent Of til,
D bananas had decayed.
After several years of such shipment
| the fruit began to be known among Ger
, tam classes Of frui. dealers, and small
orders we're returned by the captains 0
), the Baracoa schooners, and the trade il
a small way was established tn
h Government, with its eyes wide open 70
: dutiabIe goods, placed a tariff Of twenty
Z per cent ID yalorem on the fruit.
g The orders from New York and Ne
Orleans became 50 numerous a: Baraco
that it taxed the farmers in the surround
r ing country to supply them. Seno
a Gomez, realizing that there was a read
market for the fruit, Sc. ou. . make
/ feature Of growing ii. Il was at tn
r time that the first schooner laden with
cargo exclusively of bananas left Baracc
it for New York. Although more tha
e fifty per cent Of the frui. was unfit t
i sell after reaching is destination, II
, remainder found . ready sale and y:elds
e fair profit The trade was es.ab!i.ncc
s, When the trade Of New York reachs
e. two thousand bunches of bananas wee
q it was thought 70 be at lis zenith, bt
e. j. proved to have only just begun.
- /, was discovered at the time tha. !.
IL | yellow p.aQtin bananas. saca IS reac
4 ms mar.et nov. natnre]I at leas. :
sooner than did the red one
D. and tina: N order 10 supply the dema;
= i, would be more profitable to grow II
yello. variety. 1t was found TO be j,