Evening journal., 1900-03-09
FACTS ABOUT BANANAS.
Why the Rcd Banana Has Disap-
psared-Phases Of the Trade.

why me hCQ BAHAMA floo Oi1dP-
psared-Phases Of the Trade.
Red bananas are so scarce nova
days as 10 be practically a rarity;
the prevailing banana is yellow. Twen-
ly years and more ago the red was
the prevailing banana and the yellow
the rare one The change from red
to yellow was due to commercial rea
sons; the yellow banana Is more prof
table.
The yellow banana requires less
care and time in cultivation, and so
costs less In that stage. Il sticks to
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 advantages in its favor the
yellow banana has practically driven
the red banana out.
With this great scarcity red ban
anas now bring fancy prices; II may
be ten times as much as yellow ba-
nanas. With yellow bananas at 81
or $3.50 a bunch red would be worth
from Sc to sl1, and there would be
| fewer in a bunch. Red bananas sell
nowadays in the fruit stores as high
lively few punches imported are taken
by dealers in fine and fancy fruits
as novelties, the rarity in large meas
ure determining the price. II might
be asked why. with red bananas at
auch a price, more are not cultivated;
to which the answer Is that IN more
were raised the price would go down
again. and there would be no profit
n raising them for the general de-
mand in competition with the more
economically produced more prolific
and better shipping yellow bananas.
The red banana appears to be now in
its scarcity like some other kinds of
comparatively rare fruits, or, say like
game. Some people prefer the flavor
of the red banana. some prefer that
OF the yellow; II is probable that the
great majority would have no choice;
and the far lower price at which the
yellow banana can be offered to the
individual consumer settles the ques-
tion. A
Bananas were never before so
cheap as they have been in very re-
cent years Formerly q luxury that
was rather costly than otherwise. the
banana is now q cheap luxury; very
good bananas can now be bought com
II
a cent apiece. or ten cents n dozen
such as formerly cost two or three
times as much. Formerly bananas
were brought to this country in sail
ling vessels. I'm slick fast schooners
, which. with any sort of favorlng con.
p ditions. made quick trips with adj
verse weather. If long continued, the
cargOes rOtted Now bananas are
brought by steam, in fast steamers
a built especially for the fruit trade
I These steamers may, OF course, be
held up by storms. but they are not
. likely TO be; commonly they land car
= goes in n specified time, and in the
best and most suitable condition fOI
handling and marketing to the best
z advantage and with the least posi-
+ bic waste. and with advantage as Ia
:, eVenness OF supply. The great bulk
r OF the banana trade in this country is
8 now controlled by company which
S banana importers have organized.
e The bananas eaten la this country
. come from Costa Rica. British and
s Spanish Honduras. Columbia, Jamaica
[ and Cuba; that ia from countries
y around the southern part of the Gull
Of Mexico and around the Caribbean
y Sea. The bulk Of the fruit from the
= Gulf countries goes to New Orlaen.
III for distribution, that from the othe
/. countries goes to Atlantic ports. Fo
many years bananas have had a more
i, or less wide distribution from The
I. ports Of receipts; but they were nevel
: before so widely distributed, nor sole
~ so cheaply at interior points, as now
| Bananas are now sold. not as rarities
but more or less commonly, in al
parts OF the country. practically
everywhere; the eastern part Of thi
country being supplied from Atlantic
y ports and the Mississippi valley an'
n the western half from New Orleans
= Costa Rica bananas are now shipped
from New Orleans over pretty mucl
u all the western country TO the Pacif
4 cOast.-N. Y. Sun.