Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-04-21
TROPICAL FRUITS.
VOW THEY ARE HANDLED DUR.
ING SHIPMENT.


ING ohiPM EMIT.
oanaWas Require ths Nest Careful
Tssatmsnt .. Methods % Packing
che Various FeWlts.
Between 100000 and 5000, 900
punches of bananas are sold in this
city every year, and though st. Louis
consumes the bulk Of these, a great
deal 10 shipped to points between
here and San Francisco. The big
warehouses in which this fruit Is
stored and brought to maturity be.
fore selling and shipping are located
along North Third street. A ram.
bic among these brings out many in.
teresting points, not only about the
methods employed in handling and
ripening bananas, but deal Of other
tropical fruit.
Bananas for the st. Louis market
come from points in British Hon
duras, Jamaica and the islands Of the
Southern Atlantic Ocean. Port
Limon, Boco del Foro, Port Antonio,
Araranca and the Blue Fields OF
Nicaragua are the greatest pro.
ducers.
The bananas grow on great planta.
lions, and as they are cut are car.
ried on the backs and heads Of
natives to the big vessels which are
engaged in the business Of transport.
ing tropical fruits to the United
States. The fruit Is green when load.
al t,,t, At,o 1,,,11 ~ xl,o .,X...1 81
care must be taken, not only in load.
Ing the cargo In the vessels hold,
but also in preventing by the use Of
ventilation, any sweating process that
would arise II the hold were allowed
to grow warm.
In this green state the fruit in.
tended for st. Louis and points on
the Mississippi Is loaded on boats or
cars ut Mobile and near New Orleans.
From the landing stages where the
boats arrive, or from the freight
sheds, IL Is hauled in huge express
wagons to the warehouses already
mentioned, and in front Of these any
fine day when cargo Of bananas Is
being received the scenes are truly
interesting.
As the big trucks, loaded with
their precious freight, pull up before
the doors hundreds Of Italian ped.
dlcrs, ragged urcliins and negro wo.
men scramble for such Of the fruit
rs, having ripened on the punches,
may fall to the sidewalks, and the
scenes that follow the scufiie are
nuusinv In tho ext RENE
/ Now that the fruit has arrived
safely ut its destination 1t requires
even more OF an outlay Of watchful.
ness and experience to prepare IL
suitably for the market. The punches
are carried to long, dark rooms where
steam pipes or gas stoves keep the
temperature ut different degrees Of
heat, varying from 50 to Is degrees
Fahrenheit. The finer formed
punches, bearing the larger class Of
fruit, tire hung on the bottom racks,
while the smaller sized go to the top,
because the heat rises and concen.
trates along the ceilings OF these
rooms, thereby giving greater force
to the small fruit, which ripens more
slowly than the larger sort.
Tho orders that come In for ban.
anas usually state the stage Of ripe
ness In which the buyer desires the
fruit shipped to him. The packing
must be done very carefully as 1t Il
without doubt the most tender OF sll
tropical fruits to handle.
y First, the punches are placed II
big paper bags and these are then
dipped into cases lined with straw OF
salt hay as a still further protection
against the changes OF temperature
In this packing they IRE easily
shipped to the most distant points II
the country.
Aspinwall was ut one time the
greatest port for the shipment Of thii
fruit to the United States, but since
tho Pacific Fruit Transportation Com
pany ceased operating their line Of
steamers, this business has tlaleI
away altogether.
Oranges OF every sort-navel, tan
gerine and grape fruit-are plentiful
In these great stock.rooms, and the
supply Is usually drawn from Florida
although California Is called upon at
times. OF the Florida fruit the best
comes from Citra, Leesburg, Orange
Bend on Indian river. Tampa, Gaines
Vile, Emerald Island and points ir
the south and southeast OF the State
Tangerines and grapefruit - kid
glove oranges, as they are termed by
the fruit dealers-are comparatively
new In this market and are little
known, though In the Far South thu
cooks use them In delightful salads
marmalade and cake dressings OF
puddings. They are higher grade II
fiesh, flavor and price than the Flor
ida oranges, and are usually packed
moro carefully In their wooden cases
Tho long gray Spanish moss that wal
formerly used In packing IL don'
away with by paper, tinsel and tissue
sheets.
A few lemons are received from tn,
Pacific Slope, but the greater portion
are imported from points along thu
Mediterranean Sea, and especially
from Sicily. Figs are received in bags
from Arabia, and these are the coars
er sort. Finer, larger figs are sent
from many points in the Far Ens
and are beautifully laid one upon IN
other, with alternate layers OF thei
own leaves, and packed In wooder
cases.
Almena and Malaga in Spain fur
nish the finest varieties OF white
grapes and raisins. The grapes arr