The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-02-16
N FACTS ABOUT BANANAS.
Why the Red Banana Has DisaE
peared-Phases of the Trade.

peared-Phase of the Trade.
Red bananas are so scarce nowt
days as to be practically a rarity
the prevailing banana is yellow. Twer
ty years and more ago the red wa
the prevailing banana and the yelloy
the rare one The change from re
to yellow was due to commercial res
sons; the yellow banana is more proi
table.
The yellow banana requires les
care and time in cultivation, and
costs less in that stage. It sticks
the stem better than the red banana
and so stands handling better. Their
are one-third more yellow bananas
the bunch than red. With all thes
marked advantages in its favor tn
yellow banana has practically drive
the red banana out.
With this great scarcity red bar
anas now bring fancy prices; il ma
be ten times as much as yellow be
nanas With yellow bananas at $
or $3.50 bunch red would be wort
from Sc to $11, and there would
fewer in a bunch. Red bananas Sc
nowadays in the fruit stores as big
as twenty cents apiece. The compars
lively few punches imported are take
by dealers In fine and fancy fruit
as novelties. the rarity in large meai
ure determining the price. 1t Nigh
be asked why, with red bananas 6
such price, more are not cultivated
to which the answer is that if NOR
were raised the price would go dow
again, and there would be no prof
in raising them for the general d.
mand, in competition with the NOR
economically produced, more prolifi
and better shipping yellow banana
The red banana appears to be now
its scarcity like some other kinds {
comparatively rare fruits, or, say lik
game. Some people prefer the fave
of the red banana, some prefer tht
of the yellow; 1t is probable that th
great majority would have no choice
and the far lower price at which th
yellow banana can be offered to th
individual consumer settles the que
tion.
Bananas were never before
cheap as they have been in very
cent years. Formerly a luxury tn;
was rather costly than otherwise, tt
banana is now a cheap luxury: vel
good bananas can now be bought cor
monty in the streets in the season
a cent apiece, or ten cents doze
such as formerly cost two or thre
times as much. Formerly banana
were brought to this country in sal
ing vessels, In slick fast schooner
which, with any sort of favoring COZ
| ditions, made quick trips; with a.
verse weather, If long continued, til
cargoes rotted. Now bananas al
brought by steam, in fast steamer
built especially for the fruit trad
These steamers may, Of course,
held up by storms, but they are NJ
likely to be; commonly they land ca
goes In a specified time, and in II
best and most suitable condition Il
handling and marketing to the be-
advantage and with the least poSs
BILE waste, and with advantage as
evenness of supply. The great bu
Of the banana trade in this country
now controlled by a company whi(
banana importers have organized.
The bananas eaten in this COUNT
come from Costa Rica, British ar
Spanish Honduras, Columbia, Jamais
and Cuba; that is, from countri'
around the southern part Of the Gu
Of Mexico and around the Caribbes
Sea. The bulk of the fruit from IL
Gulf countries goes to New orlael
for distribution, that from the 9th
countries goes to Atlantic ports. F.
many years bananas have had mo
or less wide distribution from u
ports of receipts; but they were new
before so widely distributed, nor SO
so cheaply at interior points, as no
Bananas are now sold, not as raritie
but more or less commonly, in
parts of the country; practical
everywhere: the eastern part of Il
country being supplied from Atlant
ports, and the Mississippi valley al
the western half from New Orlean
Costa Rica bananas are now shippI
from New Orleans over pretty mut
all the western country to the Pacii
coast.-N. Y. Sun.