The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1900-07-24

COSTA RIGA
BANANAS
How the Fine Fruit is
Grown.
THE RIGHT KIND OF SOIL
An Article Of Special Interest to
Az icuItufisis in These
Islands.

4 ne iullNN vi the bhUala are not one
but many Before Revolutionary times
cuba shipped many hundred thousands
" lunches year to northern markets
and will yet do so again; and jamaica
has in the three parishes of Portland,
st. Mary and st. Thomas fifteen hum
dred acres under banana cultivation.
But the land of the banana is par eX-
cellence Costa Rica. From Costa Rica
come the best and largest bananas that
are sold In the New York and New or
leans markets. the punches weighing
from twenty-five to one hundred
pounds each. In 1896 about two million
punches were shipped from Port Linn
on. and the number for 1897 must have
reached three million.
The most famous banana district in
Costa Rica is that of Matina. once or
twice a year the Matina River over
flows its banks, bringing down with it
a vast amount of silt, which 1t dis
tributes over the low-lying lands to the
depth of several inches. This silt Is a
fertilizer of the richest kind. 1t does
more than manure the land; 1T browns
out all the taltucers-gopher-lik ami
mails which are the worst of all pests
to the banana-grower. In this district,
banana trees often reach q height of
thirty-flve feet, a height rarely attain
ed by this species elsewhere The ba-
mana grows best on the lowlands near
the sea and along the river banks, the
most productive farms lying from fifty
to three hundred feet above the sea-
level. Here in Costa Rica the land is
so rich that manures are never used,
uf fn in hpn
for fifteen years. few plowings will
make it yield again like virgin soil. In
most cases the banana farms are not
plowed, the grass and weeds being cut
by the machete. But when the pillow is
used the expense of keeping the ground
clear Is reduced one-half.
The preparation of a banana farm Is
an interesting sight. The land and it's
vegetation have a tropic splendor that
is fascinating to a northern eye, and
the men engaged in the work present
an entertaining variety of human ma
ture.
When a piece of forest land is to be
planted in bananas, gang of laborers
is first set to clearing away the under
brush-no easy task in such a cline.
Then with a long rope are measured
OFF rows six yards apart to be planted
with "bits"-cutting from the banana
root. At six yards in the length of rope
Is tied piece of red tape. and at every
piece of tape a stake Is driven into the
ground to mark the holes to be dug for
the bits" The bits" once planted,
the men are put to work with axes to
cut down the trees.
In six months time the banana rows
must be cleaned; in ten months all the
weeds have to be cut down, and twelve
months after the bit" is set Is obtain
ed the first crop. or cutting, as the
planters prefer to call 1t. On rich land,
such as is found along the Matina
River. the trees producing fruit all the
year round. will keep on bearing from
thirty or forty years and will yield
four hundred punches a year to the
acre.
The banana farms are almost all
managed by foreigners, among whom
Americans and Germans predominant.
Next to the owner or manager comes
the Jamaican under-boas, a very i'm
portant person In his own estimation. |
He generally wears big silver watch |
chain, a revolver and a machete-a
combination whose air of mingled |
wealth and business he deems of |
great assistance in the fulflllment of |
his duty. That is to get all the work |
he can out of the men. Last In the |
scale come the laborers. Most of these |
are jamaica negroes. the native peon
OF Costa Rica being unable to endure |
so well as they the hot, humid climate
Of the lowlands. They do all the work
and. naturally, receive the least pay.
To the owner, the shipment of his
fruit Is OF course the most interesting |
part CT the work. When he receives a
notice to cut bananas he Is allowed two
days time to collect the fruit and car
ny 1t out to the railroad. where It is
piled up on platforms to await the ar
rival of the banana trains. These are
composed of box-cars with wide open
ings between the rails to afford free
of the air. On each train Is
a receiver who counts the fruit and
writes a receipt for the amount he
takes In from the different farms.
there are as many as four
trains out at once picking up bananas
TO be carried TO Port Limon for the
lading OF a single New York boat. For
this fruit the grower receives only thir-
~ cents gold for a large bunch and
hfteen cents for smaller ones. Yet even
at this price the business is paying
one. The natural difficulties are few.
labor Is cheap. and the results are larg-
n every year. Given the proper tenn
and a physique capable OF
bearing the heat and moisture the ba-
planters lot 10 not the hardest
SHOWN.
Although the planter receives what
seems such ridiculously small sum
for the fruit. when one stops 10 think
hat within weeks time a thirty-eent
lunch VIII quite likely retail for ten
dollars IN New York, yet his part OF
he banana Industry IL far and away
hn mnaI Hurn lnanclallY The nlAnteT |