Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-12-25
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
OF BANANA INDUSTRY
Hawaiian islands Just Awakening to
Realization Of Profit in Fruit
Cultivation.

HONLULU Nov. 10. l9OS.-Am0ng
the extremely limited number Of
food plants growing IT. Hawaii at the
time the islands We're discovered by
the white man. was the banana. ana
as in almost every other tropical
country this fruit was a very impor-
tant part of the daily diet of ! por-
ton OF the native inhabitants. The
qualification is used because owing
tot the very rigorous and despotic
TO the very religious 'aluse" in force
throughout the archipelago. women
were not permitted to eat bananas
on pain of death. It was not until
some years after white residents had
come to the islands that the tabu
system was overthrow by edict OF
the king. backed tv bloody strus-
gle with the anti-progressive faction.
The banana was doubtless brought
to Hawaii by the first native settlers
who are supposed 10 have come from
some Of the South Sea Islands across
two Of three thousands miles OF
ocean. At all events 1t became wide
" distributed on all Of the Islands
OF the group and veritable forests OF
wild bananas are today to be found
in hundreds of mountain valleys.
This wild fruit. however. is Of little
economic importance. most Of It be-
ing devoured by birds as fast as 1t
ripenS.
To most persons in the temperate
zones a banana Is banana. But
the truth is tina: thtre are over sixty
known varieties Of the fruit, with as
great. or greater variation in charac-
ter as in the different kinds Of apples.
Hawaii is said to have something
over forty distinct varieties OF the
fruit. most of which have been in
troduced by the whites. Some OF
these are OF extremely delicate and
delicious flavor. while other kinds are
used. IL at ell. only when cooked in
various ways. There is scarcely a
CITY house lot. or country ''kuleana
or homestead which does not have
a clump or two OF bananas. which
grow with practically no care new
plants. or suckers shooting up 10 re-
place the ones which have fruit d and
been removed.
A considerable business Is carried
on nv the Chinese in Hawaii in rails
ing bananas for the local, and to
some extent for tho Coas: markets
This latter business has mp TO the
present time been handicapped by
the irregularity Of steamship service.
and from the fact that almosr none OF
the steamers now in service are
DrorerIy equipped for carrying the
fruit in ventilated decks The L. 5.
Experiment station paintings Of ba-
napss indicate that under proper Sc
lection Of plants and cultivation the
production Of the fruit per acre could
be increased several hundred per cent
from that obtsined under the rr"e"n'
antidua:cd methods Of the Orientals
With the improved shipping fscili-
ties already in sight the banana in
dustr; in Hawaii promises 10 be
come Of much importance
Hawaii looks upon the Pacific Coast
and esDscisIly the Northwest as her
especial field for marketing her fruits
At the present time EasninI-or.
Oregon and British Columbia are pay.
ing at wholesale about two millions
~ dollars per year for bananas alone.
which are imported from Central
America by way OF New Orleans and
shipped by ra'I some three ihousanT
miles or more TO their destination.
Honolulu IL hut 2i6o miles from Seat
tie by an all water houie.
There would scem TO he big field
open in Hawaii even a; tn" present
time for the cultivation and shipment
of the choicer varities Of the innana
10 the mainland. Al the present time