The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1908-02-01

The people of the United States
consumed over $4,000 worth OF i'm
ported bananas in the year 1902 Each
year the importations are increasing
and at the rate OF nearly a million
dollars per annum in value The
West India Bulletin states that in the
height OF the season, upwards of 20
steamers per week leave Jamaica
tlone laden chiefly with bananas for
ne markets of the United States
eminent is unnecessary upon what
MS trade has done for Jamaica, par
lcu!ar!y since the decline in the sugar
Industry. Banana growing is today
me OF the most profitable industries
that island. Notwithstanding the
act that tOrnadocs sometimes destroy
'hole fields Further, the indirect in
iuence which this trade has had upon
ourlst travel can not be easily esti.
nated. The frequent passage of steam.
rs mas attracted thousands Of people
the West Indies to spend the win
err
why should not the Hawaiian
stands take some more considerable
art in this large and increasing in.
'ustry and commerce? This is ques.
ION worthy of careful consideration
rms territory possesses soils and
climate admirably adapted to the
growth of bananas 1t also is free
from tornadocs, the grower thus avoid
ing the great losses that come to
Planters in some other countries. A
great market, on the Pacific slope of
the main land Of our own country, is
at liawaii's doors
The banana plant is used in an al
most infinite number of WAYS. Nearly
every part Of 1t is put to several uses.
To describe these in fun would require
small publication in itself Here
only brief mention can he made of
some of them.
The ripe fruit Is known to most
northern people simply as an article
or dcSScrt-a mere incidental to n
well provided table. In tropical coun.
tries, however, it is staple article of
food, the native population frequently
being quite dependent upon IT. 1t is
eaten not only raw but cooked In n
great variety Of ways The unripc
fruit is also cooked, some varieties
being better In this way than when
ripencd, Some varieties are especial.
ly adapted for drying and i'm favorable
climates may be dried by the sun
without resort to artificial means. In
this form, they may be used as are
other dried fruit now SO common in
the markets.
banana Hour or meal is made by re.
ducing the dried fruit TO a powder.
Other secondary products that have
been mado from bananas are preserved
ripe fruit alcohol, vinegar ana wine
The fruitbud Of some varieties is
cooked and eaten and is said to be
very good, The flowers, fruits ard
CORN or rootstock are said to have
medicinal value The CORN Ia also
Cd as food for stock as is also the
art OF the fruit stem inside the
trunk" The latter is also used as
''' ~ ''c '"''''S u some uopIcai
I'M ',''
~ i'''oS nav nee" uS"' MS iod
,'' '"' ''ooN an" ''"'. iIIlHaru states
that they contain nearly as much al
oHm,'"olu7 DIS "''raE" iH"ad"" nay.
nc noFe OF lhe leaves OF IN" or
nIhaTy bananas mas long attracted at
'.hiI"h ana CONTINUE" 10 q" So That
D me So-caII'd Hhr" banana IMusa
IoA''ilsl' as Is wen known, is tn"
s2ac" OF INC maniIa hemp OF com
,a'roo ana Is one q ~" most valuable
tires IN inc hIaIh"'
me banana hor' "hII" OF fair qual.
ny ana adapted TO som" uses is so in