The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1905-10-26
BANANA GROWING
m WEST INDIES
Bv Otis FayIor.)


America. a piece. Of land is selected
along water course, where there is
an overflow about twice a year. Eals
enriches the soil and adds very much
TO the life of the farm. But there
are farms planted that are not on
or near water courses. They do not
last, so long. After 10 or 10 years
they begin to produce small punches
of fruit. while farm that over
flows two or three times year VIII
last from 80 to 40 years and bring
good fruit.
When farm is planted. it is gen
| erallv in a forest. First. the under
growth is cut down and holes are
dug about IA inches deep and from
n to Is feet apart. Then pieces Of
the root of the old banana tree IS
dropped in the holes and covered.
After this has been done, the plants
come up between the logs. The TIM
Der is very soft and rots in two or
three years. Notwithstanding some
of it is very large, some of the trees
measuring from to feet across
the stump. The natives often make
boats out of these trees. If they
are worked while green and well
seasoned in a dry place, they are rs
light as a cork and last for several
years. if we'll taken care of. The
boat is made of a single piece and
these boats are often used for con-
veving bananas down small streams
to load large barges, which go to the
nearest shipping point
After a farm has been planted one
year. the first crop can be cut. About
the second year the farm is yielding
almost as much as it ever will.
Bananas have no regular season.
They bear as we'll one month as an
other The banana tree grows from
- to 16 feet high and is from IL to
Is inches in diameter at the root
and where the leaves start out Is
about 6 inches The leaves are
about ii feet long and about Is in
ches wide in the widest place.
The tree is very soft and can BE-
cut down with one lick of mechet-
tie. which is long knife and looks
very much like a sword, only some
heavier. It is the main farming tool
and it would surprise any one to SEE
the work native can do with 1T. lti
is also very dangerous weapon IN
a fight. In the Cuban war they
we're used Il great deal Any one
who would like to see one of these
knives can do so by calling at Fay
Ior & Wlitwam's grocery store, on
West Pike street.
A banana tree produces but on"
bunch of fruit When Il tree shoots
out n bunch Of bananas. they polnt
straight up toward the small end OF
the stock. but rs the bunch grow
older and gets heavier, it gradually
bends over until it hangs down to
the side of the tree. Then the
bananas turn and grow back inc
other way. If you were to prop
bunch straight up, the bananas
would all be pointed toward the
small end of the stalk. The tree
grows-verv fast. When a bunch i
cut. the entire tree is cut down, but
other trees are coming mp from the
root and have to be thinned out
about three times a year. If this +
not done. they will grow too thIcE
and will not do any good Wheh
they 90 to cut bunch, they have
pole about S feet long with the end
fat and sharp on the edge about as
.wide-as Ratchet. The cutter sticks
this prod into the tree two or three
inches and about four-fcct from the
top. Then the tree bends over so
the cutter can catch the bunch OF
fruit on his shoulder and cut it loose
from the stalk with his mechettle
All punches that have nine hands
and over are considered first class
and in Costo Rico bring from % to-
81 cents per bunch, after they are.
cut and placed Mt the railroad. All
punches from to s hands are
classed as SECONDS" and only bring
half as much as a first class bunch
The writer worked four years on
banana farm and has had some en-
perience in this line.
Some people think bananas would
he better, if they we're allowed to
ripen on the trees, but that is mis-
take; they will not ripcn on the
trees to do any good, because they
will get SO large that they will burst
open and they will have stoney
taste and be not at all fit to eat.
1t generally takes a bunch OF
bananas about GO days from the time
IL, H. 10 r.1If