Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1912-07-12

- not as well known In the United
States as the alligator pear is
today Within the memory of
two generations the imports of
this fruit have grown from nil to 40
100000 punches. Three billion ba-
nanas. retailing for ss5.ooo.00o That
is the banana budget of the United
States for 1910. The fruit has made
this remarkable advance In public ia
vor strictly on its merits" to use =
commercial colloquailism. Capt Ba-
ker Of Cape Cod brought a few
punches of bananas from Jamaica to
New York In 1870. and although this
was not the first time the fruit had
found it's way to the United States
shores. still he became the father Of
the banana business. for the importa-
ton proved an instant commercial
success. The fruit was hign-priced
novelty in the market where brisk
demand furnished the inspiration for
the great banana industry of today.
Costa Rica holds first place In the
cultivation of this fruit, that pronuent
republic sending out from her fertile
valleys one-half of the worlds supply
of musa sapientium. Such Is the SCI
entiic name and It means "of the wise
muse" a reference to the statement
Of Theophrastus that the ancient
sages reposed In the shade of the ba-
mana tree and refreshed themselves
with the fruit thereof.
The tree grows to q height of from
Is to 40 feet. the curious trunk formed
of compact sheathing leaf stalks. re-
sembling corn in some degree. but be-
ing about 8 inches in diameter and
much more firm In structure. II is
"endogenous," which In botany means
Increasing by internal growth and
elongation at the summit" This quail
ity of increasing by internal growth
partly explains the magic develop
ment Of the newly cut banana stalk.
which will be observed to shoot up
some inches in few minutes. while
leaves will unfold, from the center OF
the trunk within 36 hours. The legiti-
mate growth Of the plant varies from
seven months to two and half years
before It fructihes.
The bunch Of bananas. a common
sight In every fruit store. develops
from large. heart-shaped, scaly bud.
which becomes pendant: the scales
separate and disclose groups Of up
ward-pointing flowers. sometimes to
the number Of 150. These are the ba
mana blossoms which turn into the
fruit that grows with the detached
end up. Just contrary to the way It IL
the custom to hang the punches after
they are cut. One bunch to a tree
is the rule, and they vary in length
from to feet and in weight from
so to so pounds. which latter. however.
is exceptional The commercial clas-
sification is by hands" hand being
a cluster of the fruit which. with the
exercise OF imagination. may be said
to assemble that useful anatomical
member. Bunches growing nine hands
or over command the higher prices
and are called 'firsts" by the trade.
Seconds" are punches that vary from
seven to nine hands and bring a con-
sequently lower price. All punches
having less than seven hands are nm
at for shipment. and these are the
element Of loss In banana cultivation.
The punches are cut while green 1.-THE
greatest care being needed in the op-
eration) and allowed to continue to
ward the ripening stage during the
voyage to their ultimate destination.
Care and experience Is necessary in
handling bananas during shipment 50
as to insure the lowest possible
amount Of loss from deterioration.
The banana as food goes back to
the very beginning Of things. despite
its very recent introduction Into the
United States The variety para.
disiaca, II is claimed by few authori
ties. was the forbidden fruit" of the
Garden Of Eden. a contention dificult
to verify. Nevertheless. there can be
no doubt as to the remote antiquity
of its service as an aliment. for the
banana plant had diffusion possibly
anterior to that Of the human races
II is the staple of diet in parts oil
China. India. the Philippines. Egypt
Greece. Sicily. Spain. the West Indies
Mexico, Central America. and South
America-countries and continents al
producing varieties Of the musa. The
banana belt encircles the earth. i,50C
miles on either side Of the equator
There was doubt as TO whether the
plant was indigenous to America
Neither Columbus nor Cortez men
lions having seen bananas during theiI
explorations; however. we have the
high authority Of the scientist Hum
boldt in the affirmative. In his ex
plorations Of the Orinoco basin be
found q variety of the banana exten
sively cultivated, by the Indians Gar
cilasco de la Vega tells Us they form
ed the staple food Of the natives IN
the warmer zones when the incas
reigned Curiously enough. with al
this worldwide growth, the plant Is
very rarely found in the wild state
This Is due to the fact that bananas
are seedless. being propagated by
means OF shoots or -suckers. The
cultivation Of this fruit Is not dificult
the hindrances of successful crops
coming from heavy winds. perniciou'
activity of gophers. and sometimes