Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-04

bids. Each lot of bananas is brought out
of the cellar separately and hung on row
of cords over the pavement, and the orange
boxes are opened on the pavement one at a
time, the sale progresses.
How much?" is the dominant phrase OF
the auctioneer, and his discourse must be
limited in its vocabulary, for the majority
OF those around him have not found 1t
necessary to become proficient in the use of
English to carry on their business
After purchasing enough fruit to load
down his cart the vender carries his
lunches of bananas and boxes of oranges
out to his cart In the street and there ar
ranges his stock in snowy order. The vend-
erS cater to different classes CT people and
purchase the better poorer quality of
fruit according to the section of the city
which they expect to traverse. Bunches of
bananas and open boxes of oranges are ~
ing about in apparent carelessness in the
selling space but fruit is seldom purloined.
The greater part of the bananas sold in
Washington are brought from Honduras.
The rest come from other parts of Central
America: and from South America d
Cuba. They are brought by steamship to
Baltimore. whence they are shipped by rail
Il VA ;h.aSron On board sflp and in stof-
agr tn ; fruit is suspended. each bunch sin
s;ly. on strings pat by ii they are piled in
bulk The fruit is cut very green in order
that it may not get overripe during Ship
ment. II is 81 / gre,n whCL received here
ait is hung in d ": I'll ,',.I,:,r to ripen. Here
ketlnng the temperature of the store rooms
up to about 80 degrees; but in some OF
the northern cities sulphur is used to hasten
its development.
About fourteen days elapse between the
time of shipment from the plantations and
the date when the fRuit is seen upon the
streets of Washington. About seven days
are required for the trip to Baltimore. and
another day or two pass before it is placed
in the ripening cellars here. BY this time
the bananas have begun to show yellow
tinge in the skin, and three or four days in
the humid warmth of the cellars is suf-
ficent to perfect them.
The bananas sold in Washington are not
nearly SO large or finely Favored those al
lowed to ripen on the trees If allowed full
growth they attain length of ten or
twelve inches-sometimes more-and de-
velop creamy texture and exquisite flavor
Not Cultivated in United States.
Bananas are not raised to any extent in
the United States though a move has been
made toward establishing a grove in south
ern California; They require deep, rich
soil and a large amount of moisture and
heat for their successful cultivation. The
banana is one of the most nutritious OF
fruits. and analysis shows the following
constituents: heterogeneous matter 1890 per
cent; sugar, pectin. etc. 1867 per cent;
fatty matter, 0.632 per cent: cellulose, 600
per cent: saline matter, O.t91 per cent;
water 1880 per cent. The natives of
South America dry the green fruit and then
pulverze it into flour. This flour is being
manufactured commercially on a small
scale. 1t shows the following components
when analyized: Water, 1898; starch, II 60;
gum and sugar. $50: heterogeneous matter,
2.O1; cellulose, $50; oil, 0.61; salts, O.64.
The oranges being sold in this market