The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-03-03
HOME OF THE BANANA.
HOW IT GROWS IN THE ISLAND
OF JAMAICA.
Strange Result Of q Scheme to Rid
tho Island Of Rats Description
Of q Banana Field.

ing is in the Island Of Jamaica. Mr.
e.. L. Simpson, who is connected
with the department Of mollusksin the
Smithsonian Institution, has just re-
turned from a journey there in search
Of shells in company with Mr.. John
Il. Henderson, Jr. Mr.. Simpson is a
man Of observation, and in his travels
through the home OF the banana has
brought away many interesting tales
OF its tropical life and surroundings.
THE banana is the successor i'm
the island, " said Mr.. Simpson, ''to
sugar and the old brand OF Jamaica
rum. With the abolition OF slavery
and the fall in the price OF sweeten-
ing, coupled with other causes, the
island became much reduced i'm its
wealth and resources. Some fifteen
years ago a Yankee skipper, Captain
l.. ID. Baker. in cOasting around the
island, noted that the flavor Of its
bananas was unusually fine, and
there conceived the idea OF raising
them in large quantities and ship
ping the product to the United States.
He met with violent opposition, but
he had "a sublime faith i'm his bust
ness, and now his fields cover large
part Of the eastern and northeastern
end Of the island, near the shore.
He has Il line OF steamers running to
Boston and Baltimore freighted with
bananas. His company has the larg-
est facilities for supplying the market
with this kind Of fruit, and has made
the Island OF Jamaica blossom as the
rose
"Probably there is nothing said
Mr.. Simpson, that represents better
the great power Of nature than II
growing field Of bananas. 1t is "a
magnificent sight. The plants grow
to be the size Of u large mans body
and % feet high. 1t requires but Is
or Is months for the gigantic plant
to grow. The leaves shoot out II or
ID feet from the stalk, are IA soft pea
green color, and are beautiful and
delicate. The edges are perfectly
entire when the leaf first comes out,
but il is fcather-veined, and the
slightest wind cuts them into hun
dreds of slips, which wave and rustic
and rise and fall. The poetry of the
undulating wheat field is not to be
compared with the beauty Of these
waving leaves. A marvellous thing
about these trees is that they are as
soft as n pumpkin vine. The natives
with the matchetes, or saber, which
everyone carries, are able to slash
down the towering tree with one fell
stroke.
ION the stump Of the fallen tree
one can behold Il marvel Of natures
power which outmarvels the jugglerS
OF India and their feat with the ia
nous mango tree. These trees grow
to m~-rity i'm about ID months, and
they grow from the inside, like the
palm and canes and grasses, but un-
like the oak and other trees, which
grow by successive layers added from
the outside. When the tree is cut
off one can actually see the tree
grow, the leaves unfolding from the
inside as rapidly as the hands of Il
watch.
Another curious thing about the
banana tree is that it is the hOns
Of rats, and thereby hangs a tale.
Some % years ago Il member Of the
Jamaica Legislature, Espeut by name,
laid a deep scheme to rid the island
of rats, and to this end introduced
from India Il weaSel-like animal called
the mongoose. The greatest differ
ence between the mongoose and the
weasel is that the former has Il short,
thick tail, and instead of making war
on poultry-houses and setting hens
he pitches battle with any kind of Il
rat on short notice, and always zones
of conqueror.
"The scheme Of the stateSmanlike
Espeut worked to Il charm SO far rs
the determination OF the kingdom Of
rodents was concerned, but ii upset
the balance of nature. The ats had
hitherto lived in peace, but when the
mougooSe began TO multiply exceed
ingly the two could not live together,
and after n fierce war the rats were
wOrsted and compelled TO take flight,
This resulted in a change of habits.
The whole rat tribe took to the cocoa
nut and the banana trees rs a place
OF h%abitation, 50 that Jamaica OF all
countries in the world has a species
OF tree-living rats.
This proved u most unfortunate
result for the banana gr>ver, for the
rats fed ~voraciously on the product
of his toll.
This proved truly destructive OF
cacao, Il nut from which chocolate is
made. The cocoanut trees are more
lasting. and the tree-climbing rats
are kept down by Il Yankee contriv-
ance of zinc which is nailed about
the trunk. This cannot be done
with the banana tree. and no plan
has been rs yet devised by which they
shall not have free passage to t~N Ius-
cious fruit.
There is a prospect that in time
the rats will come down. for nature
will not long allow her balance to be
upset. 1t comes about i'm a curious