Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-03-30
Something Of Its Won
derful Resources and
Promise Of Great
Profit.

To the average man who hos paid
little OF no attention to this subject,
the raising OF bananas and the prOtiIs
snade are strange themes Therefore we
WAL endeavor III this space 10 tell
something about The method OF culture
the nature OF the tree, what results
are being obtained and other things OF
interest,
To begin with, the Banana business is
not new u is already extensively en-
gagged In One company (The United
Frult COD which has over 20o00. 10000
invested raised shipped last year
2sflS,sss lunches. All along the Pan.
uco River In the State of Vera Cruz
there are farms or plantations ranging
IN SIZE from or 8 acres TO those OF
several thousand Bananas form an
important part OF the food OF the Mexi-
can fan.ily-One variety OF Banana is
Tried and eaten. Perhaps the best idea
OF the extent of the business will be
gained from the following report.
o. F. Austin, Chief OF Bureau of u.
), Treasury Department, says; 1T fs
apparent from all this that We nj q not
only Increasing our lmpOrtatIons but
we are at the same time increasing our
dependence upon the tropics We now
send out of the country one million
Collars every day OF the year for trop-
ical products"
THE METHOD OF CULTURE.
1t Is necessary To give young banana
plants SOME shade when first trans
planted, so corn is planted and when
TX wekes 10 two months old the ba-
mana plants are set out Is feet apart
This means about 200 plants 10 an acre.
Tbs irst shoot or stalk 81 nws slowly
IT takes II from Q months tn / wear to
mature and produce bunch OF banan-
as. The bananas grow upward. not
dowllward, as they appear when hung
np for sale. When the Stult has ma
tured It II cut down ana the stock dies
From the root another stalk has start
ed perhaps several are started; some
are cut back In such manner that
the production or fruit can be- resullt.
ed. The second stalk grows much faster
than tho first. the root is stronger and
more maiured III will mature in six
months. and srom that time ON coch
root VIII produce a bunch every three
months. No cultivation is necessary.
The banana Is. IKE our own ucein,
scNvenuer. n cleans Our All weeds
and other growth but X should he IT.
riease' twice ench Year and as water
Is abundant ON or rlace the fruit can
receive plenty ~ irrigation,
RESULTS THAT ARE ATTAINED.
THE FIRST WEAR
We have already stoted that about
200 plants are set out ON mn nCre ana
that the hrst year enCh one bears one
bunch. or 2N1 hunehre ~ the acre These
can be sold ON the place at 30 cents 'pr
bunch. tlns making an acre Weld sl0o
gold she hrst wear Deduct from this
SO for marketing; nIthough this
figure WE be- eavoN hy tho Tnmrlrn
Fruit CO. ms thclr Hand fr rlght nm the
1anucN piver where the boats can
load al the plantation. The expense
ihen. The hr-t year. IS $1,000, leaving
$1,000 net profit,
THE SECOND YEAR.
Each plant VIII yield two lunches
iirls year ar total OF 400 punches Ia
the acre AZ Boz per bunch they will
bring 500 90 Deeutt from this. EN
pense Of cultivatIne, $1,000 marketing
Sestimated) 500 90 and you have a nei
profit OF $1,000
THIRD AND SUCCEEDING YEARS
Each plant WIN produce four bunch
eH NOW, but We WEI say that the tOta
produced IL only 600 punches (loT &
VI. Harrison, who has raised bananas OF
this river. says the Hand averages 90
hunches). These arc sold FOR $500 o
gold expense Of cultlyhting sIO. co. eN
pensc of marketing 5000 total $50 90
leaves a noI Income OF 12iO, % per acre
This agrees closely Wlth the genera
experience OF banana. raIsers, ana ON
cal government reports give estimate
based ON general results showing M
income 81 from $4,000 to $500 w gol
per acre These reports are alwas
very conservatives
But let us say for the sake Of belt
absolutely safe that the expense
'lnuhle that given above. although II
hoye figures are given by men who