Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-08-02
JAMAIcA'S BANANA INDUSTRY
British Government Subsidies Steamship Line
to Make the Fruit Popular in England.

The growing popularity OF the ba-
mana as staple article of fruit makes
anything regarding it of interest to the
general public.
The principal source of supply is ia
maica, and the demand having in.
creased so rapidly, its cultivation has
spread over nearly the whole island.
The tree produces but one bunch Of
fruit, which ripens in about a year. A
single blow OF a heavy knife or cutlass
is sufficient to fell the tree, and as it
falls Il man catches the bunch of fruit,
for it is easily bruised, and sewers i,
from the trunk.
The cultivation of bananas in ia.
maica is OF mushroom growth, and it
has increased so enormously of late
years that it rivals, if, indeed, it has
not surpassed, sugar as the staple in.
dustry of the island. Thirty years
ago an American fisherman named
Captain Baker, brought his schooner
into Port Antonio to refit, and he con-
ceived the happy idea of filling his
empty ship with bananas, which he
took TO the United States. There the
fruit had such ready sale that the
fisherman returned for more, and
from this simple commencement has
sprung up an export trade of over 49,
100000 per annum. Throughout the
year a weekly average of u steamers
leave Jamaican ports for Boston and
New York laden with the fruit. The
American workman hasssgrown to look
upon the Jamaican banana as part OF
his daily food. and one of the objects
ef the British Imperial West India
mail service is to place this fine fruit
upon the British markets at popular
price, and so bring it within reach of
the British workman. As an industry,
the cultivation of bananas is extraor-
dinarily simple and very remunerative.
Briefly, it is this: Take one acre Of
virgin forest land, clear it OF the bush,
and from the ssHmps af old banana
trees pull out the young shoots and
bury them in the new ground at
distance of II feet apart. Authorities
on the island differ as to the width be-
tween the plants but IL foot is the
average. II the plantation is in the
plains on the south side OF the island,
the planter must irrigate his trees, but
it on the north coaster in the moun-
tains, nature saves him this trouble,
for the rainfall is amply sufficient.
The soil being virgin, manure will not
be required for eight or ten years. and
beyond a little wedding between the
rows, no labor is necessary, and the
trees need no pruning nor attention Of
any kind. The productiveness of the
banana, as compared with wheat, is
l33 to !, and it pays prodigiously. = 1t
is an ideal industry for tropical
country. No wonder the lazy black
man loves it. 1t requires little capital,
less labor and no brains. And yet, in
spite of these manifest advantages, the
banana is highly speculative crop.
1t has an enemy in the wind. The
history of Jamaica shows that hurri-
canes have frequently swept over the
island, and should such misfortune
befall it banana tree may not be left
standing.
The new British steamship service
to Jamaica, above referred to, has now
been running some six months, and re-
suits indicate that it will realize the
objects sought. The line is subsidized,
but the British consider the grant not
a steamship subsidy, but banana sub
sidy, as its payment is conditioned
upon each steamer carrying to Eng
land, on every trip, at least 10000
punches of bananas. 1t is stated that
the Jamaican fruit, by reason of its
larger sizc and superior quality, is ra-
pidly crowding the banana from the
Canary islands out of the British mar
ket.
Bananas are. grown to limited ex.
tent in California, but the crop is not
always successful, on account of the
drought.