The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1900-02-05
FACTS ABOUT BANANAS.
Why the Red Banana Has Disnp-
peared-0ther Modern Phases
of the Trade.

Red bananas are 80 scarce nowadays
as TO be practically a rarity; the pre-
vailing bananas yellow. Twenty years
and more ago the red was the prevail
ing banana and the yellow the rare
one. The change from red TO yellow is
due to commercial reasons; the yellow
banana is more profitable.
The yellow banana requires less care
and time in the cultivation, and so costs
less in that stage 1t sticks 10 the stem
better than the red banana, and so
stands handling better. There are one
third more yellow bananas TO the bunch
than red. With all these marked ad-
vantagcs in its favor the yellow banana
has practically driven the red banana
out.
With thia great scarcity red bananas
now bring fancy prices: it may be zen
times as much as yellow bananas. With
yellow bananas at q dollar or a dollar
and half bunch, red would be worth
from six TO eleven dollars, and there
would be fewer in a bunch. Red ba-
nanas sell nowadays in The fruit stores
as hign as 20 cents each. The compar-
atively few punches imported are taken
by dealers in fine and fancy truifs as
novelties, the rarity in large measure
determining the price. 1t might be
asked why. with red bananas at such
prices more are not cultivated; to
which the answer Is that II more were
raised the price would go down again,
and there would be no profit in raising
them for the general demand, in COM
petition with the more commonly pro-
duced, more prolific and better ship
ping yellow bananas. The red banana
appears 10 be now in irs scarcity like
some other kinds OF comparatively rare
fruits, or, say, Ike game. Some peo-
pie prefer the Favor Of the red banana,
some prefer that of the yellow; it is
probable that the great majority would
have no choice, and the far lower price
at which the yellow banana can be Of
fered 10 the individual consumer settles
the question.
Bananas Were never before so cheap
as they have been in very recent years
Formerly a luxury that was rather
costly than otherwise, the banana is
nov a cheap luxury, very good ba-
uanas can now be bought commonly in
the streets n The season 1t a cent
apiece, os ten cents dozen, such as for
merly cosr two or three times as much.
Formerly oanauas were brought 70 this
country in sailing vessels. in slick fast
scaoopers which, with any sort Of Ia
Yoriug cor ,tioDs, made quick trips;
with adverse weather, if long eoatin-
ued, The cargoes royted. Now 5ai,anas
are brought hy steaIa, N fasp steamers
built especially for the fruit trade.
These steamers may Of course be held
up by storms, but they are not Hteiy
- be; commonly they land cargoes
here in a specified tim, and IN the best
and roost suitable coroDion FOR ham
ding aud marketing c the best advan-
;age ard wita ,Ls least possib.e vase,
and WITH great advantage as 70 even
ness OF supp.y. The g.eae hulk of tie |
banana trade in this country is DOW
controlled - a company which banana
importers have organized.
The bananas ca,en in this country
come from Costa Bica, British and
Spanish Honduras, Colombia, Jamaica
and Cuba; tnat is, from countries
around the southern part Of the CUT Of
Mexico and around The Caribbean sea.
lie bulk Of ihe fruit from the gulf
goes to New Orleans for 5,s-
.ribuIi1n. that from the other conn
tries coming 10 Atlantic ports. For
many yeacs bananas have had q more
Jr less wide distribution from the ports
IF recsipt. but they were never hesore
20 widely distributed ror sold so cheap
y at interior points as now. Bananas
are now sold not as rarities, but more
IT less commonly in all parts Of the
,ountry, practically everywhere; the
.astern para Of ;Le country Lei9g sup
,lieo rom Atlantic ports and the Mis-
iasippi valley ana tne wesIero BIZ 4
rom New Orleans. Costa Kea bs-
lanas are now sh.pDeJ from New Or
cans over pretty nrch az the western
ountry 10 ihe Pacific coast.-N. y. sun.