New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-12
CANOES'G WITH CARlBS.
JorRvEy Up THE RIO DULCE n GUATE-
NALA-BANANA FARMS.

few months of travel through country
butt little known TO study its form oi
government, AMI TO arquant myself a. 'hor-
oughlv ~ possible with is a~c'cntr RAJ aHd m n TAI
resources and ito p0Ssihiiiti', for intln" ""N"''P
ment I had read such books as | could obtain,
mostly written by chance travellers AMI snppo~-'
knew something of the tine condition oil the
country and Of the character OF Us people
personal visit and examination revealed the fact
that the information | had received from DUCKS
was of little real value in forming an accurate
estimate Of the people. the country, Ito P''e0''
condition or future pcss abilities.
Entering the country from the Atlantic slde'
I landed at Livingston. passed mp the fl' puc''
through the Lake of Nzabal, padded mp III" no
Polochic for several days in a can"r, crosse" '''
spurs and followed the valleys OF the HlerF' &c is
Santa Cruz. the Sierra de Chana ana N" oieT'"
do las Nlinas ON mueback. until weary and sore
from the long journey | reached the ciP''"''
weary. but wiser as to that part OF the country
and its resources thon otherwise could have oech.
This routc was not according 70 nv orIginal
n,.n Nv intention was 10 take the rOnt" frolil
Yzabal direct to the capital out learning that
il was impossible to securr enima" from 'i"'
point | securcl a canoe at LIVINGSTON anu crew
Of four strong Carbs. and on the Gth INST
s+arted IN the canoe voyage Up the Rio pnlr".
The naoniGcencA Of the scenery along this short
river can hardly be o,crrraNn. The pcrp"n-
dicuar walls OF volcanic rock. risino sheer ron
the water Ia a height of 800 70 500 feet ci"'h''
with Mains interminsled with many other tropi-
cal trees and vines, presented picture r'r'N
eouallcl II was my introduction + the tropics,
and q very dcIohtful one. Occasionally the hare
face Of the rock would present itself as if TO
demonstrate Lv its peculiar formation lh lgn'ouS
oriain Mc curiosity excited by the s'A'-
rent Of our Garth boainan that NJ a certain pac"
on the rocks were curious licrogNp'lc,' an"
WATCHED for them, >ppctin- 10 zee for 'h' hrN'
ti,oo flo ,racino on writing 6f the mysterious
1oltocs or possibly o. a NOR ancient people. m"
gestures of tine Grow indicated the spot \Hni'
vidi." and this is what | read: For hardware
20 70 r. g. Wells VAUDEVILLE, T"Na~. tan
Yankee cntcrpris, equal this Tn" pa ntnG upon
the rocks OF old Connecticut, placed the" m an
bilious advertisers. may II some fu''N' day pe
bieroclrplics 10 the occupants of tie land. Enter
mo the Golfpte TN" bold shores dropped INTO
swelling hills and from the Shore Of the Lake tie
land So gradually into distant mounta'nI
From Livingston 10 the head Of the lake re
cultivation of the banana sermel the only o"'u-
nation of the people, and il was surprise 20 note
tho character Of the land selected for tins pur-
noa, The steep hllsldcs seemed the favoFite,
and hills 800 feet high with sides % an aneI" "i
sixty degrees were covered 10 the Vrrv SUMMIT
with luxurious pants. Ntin" lIlP "''t'-lN '''i'
broken rocks plants vcrr growing and bonding
under the weight of Fruit. Every foot Of land
can bc utilized from the waters edg' MP ny some
valuable crop. and the agricVWiS has hut I"
determine what the crop shall be. select h- proper
location and plant his seed. II l. practical eN-
c,nplifcation Of von touch the button AID We 10
the rest" Place the seed or plant in IN" ground
and bountiful Mature takes care that there shall
be an abundant harvest. The two articles now
raised for export from Livingston are coffee and
hananas-bananas from Lake Yzabal to the coast
and coffee in the mountains AZ elevations from
900 feet to 1900 feet above tie sea. Ipon
either side 81 the river and the lake are large
banana plantations Already under cultivation and
many others In process OF preparation: but there
are thousands of acres OF land perfectly adapted
for this purpose stin unoccnped although the
demand for the fruit is largely in excess Of the
supply and although the profits are fabulous
Shin owners are earer 70 make contracts for fruit
three or five years in advance. and are unable 70
secure The desired amount. Al uno"cuped land
was originally owned by the Government. and
such as SIN remains be securrl by process
called denouncng. similar 70 pre-enption in tie
States The cost of banana iinoa or plantation
Is in clearing ard preparing the land, which re-
auircs time. hbor and money. The growth OF
trees, shrubs and tropical vines must be CLEARED
away and burned before the banana can hr
planted, hut once stared, the plantation rom2lnn
in hearing for years. The plant natures one
bunch and when this is ready for outline the
entire plant is cut oil near tho ground. tie bunch
Of fruit removed and the large succulenf St%lh
is allowed 10 remain upon the ground and rot,
while now stalk starts from I've bulb and in
turn natures its bunch Of fruit \ plantation
is therefore IN constant bearing and cuttings 81
fruit continue each month of tie year
a Gpca N ID IA o
o0G punches annually. the great ms, Of dccoyng
vegetable matter il the source Of mucd disras',
probably aggravating other causes and producing
the epidemic fevers which frequently rsvaGc
the coast, while the dread Of this fever det'lS
many from engaging in the industry.
Notwithstanding this dread and danger, th-
profits are so large and sure that evcry year new
fncas are cleared and phntel and the production
is rapidly Increasing Fifty thousand dollars
wear &c a small estimate for a banana fnca cutting
the number of bunche> stated and eighty PEI cent
of this amount is not profit The labor is per-
formed entirely by Indians, WHO receive an aver
,xe Of two reals. - cents, n day fer their labor
For me best succcSs stccp hi l>idc seems recess
.arv In such exposure the face OF the hill re-
tracts the suns heat and produces fruit in its
greatest perfection. Eight "handS" is an average
bunch Less than this is not desirable for market
and many bunches count ten ana lively" hands
Of perfect fruit. From Belize to Puerto Cortcz
the banana is cultivated 10 the neglect Of other
fruits, because the labor required i so small com
pared 10 the production and the profit.
Most OF the Csrib, along the coast cultivate
small 6ncas gathering canoe load of fruit ami
taking Il 70 the fruit ships opportunity offers
Being small cultivators and ignorant advantage is
taken of them. ard they usually receive much loss
than their fruit is worth They cheated in
Tho tltof nripe * dO,-n
and cheated in the value. and II the bunch contains
less than eight hands they are obliged t. give
Two for one. But the lar2e producers have the
advantage. They can load a ship al single cut
ting from their fnca. and are consequently sought
after hN huvars and sure of accurate count and