Evening star., 1898-12-17
WHERE THE BANANA GROWS
How the Fruit is Raised and Something
About the Trade.
Fifteen Million Bunches Come to This
Country Every Year-Only
Two Varieties.

From the New York Post.
That bananas are at present abundant in
New York is apparent to every one who
walks about the town. They are somewhat
lower in price than heretofore. One can
buy at a street corner two fair bananas,
with their skins perhaps trifie bruised,
but sound and sweet within, for one cent.
For nickel one can get three fine speci-
mems as can be desired. Assurediy, the buy
er does not thus disburse. his petty coins
from motive of benevoerce, but uncon-
sciously he aids thereby some laborer away
IN central America, or on the Spanish Main,
or among the Atlantic islanuS OF the trop-
lets. 1t may be that the purchaser has had
the good fortune to eat the fruit under one
of the immense leaves of the plant which
bears it.
There are in the leading Atlantic seaports
OF the United States twenty importers of
bananas who deal in nothing else, and who,
with millions invested in their business i'm
port l5,uD,O00 punches of bananas every
year. single importer in New York has
this year imported 300 600 punches. These
imports are shipped from Lmon, in Costa
R1ca; from Santa Marta, in the United
States of Colombia; from SANTANA, in Hayti,
but most of all from the island of Jamaica.
Among the agricultural interests of that
island the cultivation of the banana is said
10 be third in Importance, being surpassed
by the sugar cane and coffee alone More
than nine per cent of the titled land of ia
malca is devoted to the cultivation of ba-
nanaS. In the year ending March, 1SgS
there were shipped from Jamaica alone
4,SS.,64o punches, which brought 1897, ,415
Ihese punches, of which each plant bears
one or more, hold from two to three hum
dred bananas each. They weigh sometimes
as much as eighty or even a hundred
pounds. The painters do not allow The
lrult 10 ripen en- the tree. 1t is gathered
before 1t is ripe, while it is still green in
CUlUr, and the g. fol tbo, fto
Is cut down to the erounu; whereupon the
round DUBIOUS roots ock sends I'D at on g
new leaves, and a second plant natures
and bears fruit. With proper management
d Plantation yields fruit every month In
the year. Thus the half dozen steamers
winch bring the fruit to the United States
run constantly from January to Janu nv,
having their holds slowed to the finn win
punches, unlocked and without covering of
ary kind. The fruit rpens on the VOYAGE
or soon after its arrival. In its unripe1ed
cohulllon 1t contains much starch but on
rlpenlng, the starch, by the subtle cbemis-
Try OF nature, is converted into sugar
Or the bananas brought hither few ara
eAPorteo 10 Europe but the greater part
ma their way ali over the United States
being sold (by the importers to iobbers, h1,
me car load OF the bananas consumed IN
TINS city, more than 80 per cent are sold bv
MSIfeet-Cofner 81 vendors and from pushcarts
Ihese humble tradesmen therefore. are NOT
10 pe despiSed since they are Immortal nt
factors IN the distribution of an article
Whlcn ministers to the well-being of numer-
Gus inhabitants. On some islands of the
racine the inhabitants live on bananas ex
ciuslVeiy, and breed a race of tall. strong
men. humboldt says that the same land
Which produces 1000 pounds of potatoes
VIII yield 1900 pounds of bananas and
mat surface bearing wheat enough to
Ieed one man will, when planted with ba-
nanas. feed twenty-five. The varieties of
bananas cultivated in the tropics are said
~ pe as numerous as the varieties of an
pies in temperate regions There is a red
SKINNED variety which formerly was So en-
frequently in New York. OF this there is
no" only limited supply. Those which
ornte ii,. iivIe are usht principally TO dec
ofate luncheon and dinner tables In he
matter OF taste this variety is in no wav
superior to the common yellow sort hut
me red tlnt Is thought more Ornamental
ana TO add TO the appearance of a fruit
oish' hLed with different sorts of fruits.