The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-07-18
THE BANANA TRADE,
From New York Herald.

FROM New lOTk hefhlu
The only strictly American importing
industry, and one which cannot 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 every
body in America, and at the same time as
little is known about where the fruit comes
from and how it is shipped as if the fruit
belonged to the strangest varieties which
reach this market. Probably no trade has
received such strict attention or has shown
such rapid strides in the past few years as
! this one. Strange as it may seem, while
bananas are shipped to no other country
but America, with the exception OF the
Pacific Mail line of steamships there is
not an American vessel in the trade.
During the last year, from January LIST
to December 31st 12,592,55 punches of
bananas reached the United States. As
it is estimated that each bunch averaged
one hundred bananas, more than one bill
lion were distributed throughout the coun-
try last year, or sufficient to allow every
man, woman and child in America to have
had about twenty bananas to eat. Placed
end to end they would have extended a
distance of more than three times around
the globe.
No fruit ever gained such widespread
popularity in so short time. Fifteen
years ago it was comparatively unknown
except in the large cities, and even there
it was only supplied in comparatively small
quantities to the largest hotels and among
the wealthier class of people.
The trade dates back in its incipiency to
about thirty-fve years ago. The first ban
anas that reached the United States were
from Baracoa. At that time the natives
of Baracoa and its neighborhood were
. raisers of tobacco principally. Most of the
tobacco growers, however, raised few
bananas on their plantations for their own
use. They were not such yellow ones as
are now shipped to this country, however.
They were of the red variety, with few
small yellows, which were then known as
fPorgie" bananas.
Among the men who were interested in
growing tobacco at Baracoa was Spaniard
of the name of Gomez. He was not only
interested in more than one tobacco planta-
ton, but kept general store at Baracoa
and made business of bartering provisions
for tobacco. Occasionally 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 in
structions to trade off for whatever he
could get for them-a pair of shoes, cloth
ing or the like The idea of shipping them
to sell was not thought of. The only YES
| sells from Baracoa at that time were schoon-
ers, and the voyage to New York usually
occupied from twelve to fifteen days. At
the end of such voyage it was usually
found that fully fifty per cent of the ban
anas had decayed.
After several years of such shipments
the fruit began to be known among GER
tain classes of fruit dealers, and small or
ders were returned by the captains of the
| Baracoa schooners, and the trade in Il small
way was established The Government,
with its eyes wide open for dutiable goods,
placed a tariff of twenty per cent ad valorem
on the fruit.
The orders from New York and New
Orleans became so numerous at Baracoa
that it taxed the farmers in the surround
ing country to supply them. Senior Gomez,
realizing that there was a ready market for
the fruit, set out to make feature of
growing it. 1t was at this time that the
first schooner laden with a cargo exclu-
sively of bananas left Baracoa for New
York. Although more than fifty per cent
| ~. 20.
its destination, the remainder found ready
sale and yielded fair profit. The trade
was established
When the trade of New York reached
two thousand punches Of bananas week
it was thought to be at its zenith, but it
proved to have only just begun.
1t was discovered at the time that the
yellow plantin bananas, such as reach the
market now, matured at least six months
sooner than did the red ones, and that in
order to supply the demand it would be
more profitable to grow the yellow variety
1t was found to be just as marketable as
its red brother, although at not quite as
high price
The season of the fruit is from the LIST
of March TO the last of June, and the
farmers planted the trees at such time as
would cause the fruit to mature for ship
ment during these months. Fruit cut
before or after these three months cannot
command as high prices.
So rapidly did the trade grow that the
raisers realized that unless some means
were devised whereby the fruit could reach
its destination more quickly and without
such terrible decay that the demand would
overreach the supply no matter how extern
siyely it was raised.
1t was then, about ten years ago, that
the idea occurred to charter steamships to
transport the fruit. 1t proved successful
beyond the expectations Of the most sang
] uine. It was discovered that not more