Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-06
Needed Amendments.
FACTS ABOUT BANANAS.
some Reasons Why the Red VARIETY
Has Disappeared.

From the New York sun.
Red banaras are so scarce nowadays as
10 be practically rarity; the prevailing
banana Is yellow. Twenty years and more
ago the red was the prevailing banana and
the yellow the rare one. The change from
red to yellow is due to commercial rea-
sons. 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 to the stem better
han the red banana. and so stands hand
ling better. There are one-third more vel
low bananas to the bunch than red With
ii! these marked advantages in it's favor
the yellow banana has practically driven
the red banana out.
With this great scarcity red bananas now
bring fancy prices: it may be ten times as
r1uch as yellow bananas With yellow
5ananas at 81 S1.50 bunch red would
he worth from S. to $ll. and there would
bc fewer in a bunch. Red bananas sell
Towadays in the fruit stores as high as ~
cents each. The comparatively few bunch
- imported are taken by dealers in fine
md fancy fruits as novelties, the rarity
in large measure. determining the price ii
might be asked why, with red bananas at
such prices. more are not cultivated: to
which the answer is that if more were
raised the price would go down again, and
mere would be no profit in raising them for
he general demand. in competition with
he more economically produced, more pro-
ifc and better shipping yellow bananas
The red banana appears to be now in its
-carClty ike some other kinds of COM
bdratVely rare fruits or saw like game
Some people prefer the flavor of the red
banana. some prefer that of the yellow: it
= probable that the great majority would
have no choice; and the far lower price a.
which the yellow banana can be offered f..
he individual consumer settles the aues-
ion.
Bananas We're never before so cheap a
they have been in very recent years For
nerly luxury that was rather costly than
otherwise, the banana is now q cheap
luxury: very good bananas can now b.
bought commonly in the streets in the sea
son at cent apiece. or 10 cents a dozen
| such as formerly cost two or three times
IS much. Formerly bananas We're brought
10 this country in sailing vessels, in slick
East schooners which, with any sort of
| 'avoring conditions, made quick trips; viii h
| adverse weather. If long continued the
| ~argoes rotted. Now bananas are brought
| by steam. in fast steamers built especia llv
| for the fruit trade. These steamers NAV.
# course. be held up by storms; but thes'
| are not likely to be; commonly they land
| "argoes here in a specified time. and in the
best and most suitable condition for hand
ling and marketing to the best adyantac e
| and with the least possible waste, and with
| advantage as to evenneSS OF supply. The
| great bulk Of the banana trade in this
| country is now controlled by company
| which banana importers have organized
1 The bananas eaten in this country come
from Costa RiCa, British and Spanish Hon
duras. Colombia. Jamaica and Cuba: that
| is. from countries around the southern part
| Of the Gulf of Mexico and around the Carib.
| bean sea. The bulk of the fruit from the
4 gulf countries goes to New Orleans for
distribution. that from the other countries
| coming to Atlantic ports. For many years
| bananas have had more less wide dis
| tribution from the ports of receipt: but
| they were never before so widely distrib-
| uted. nor sold cheaply at interior points
! as now. Bananas are now sold not as
rarities. but more or less commonly In
| all parts of the country; practically every
| where; the eastern part of the country be-
| ing supplied from Atlantic. ports, and the
| Mississlppi valley and the western half
| from New Orleans. Costa Rica bananas
| are now shipSed from New Orleans over
| pretty much all the western country, to the
| Pacific coast