The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1912-10-25

stated that from the Botanical Gar
dens two punches of bananas had
been sent to the patients OF the
tuberculosis hospital on the East
River. They had been grown under
glass, he read-but they had been
grown in the United States Later,
when he thought over the banana
problem on the evening after the in
terview, this required to him-they
had been grown in the United States.
1t could be done; there was the proof
he would found great American
| industry!
| One night some weeks later, the
old man pressed button and pow
erful group gathered around the long
directors table in the private room
of his uptown club. There were a
couple of New England senators and
a few congressman from scattered
| but reliable constituencies, and the
remainder were representative OF the
heavy-caliber, substantial business
| interests. On each chair lay a print
ed pamphlet-the charter, as it stated
on the cover, Of the Consolidated
Tropical Fruit Products Development
Company; folded within was a blank
for stock-subscription pledges. At
tached by wire clip was typewrit-
ten statement, headed: "For the
Daily Press"
Jimmie sat at the old mans right
near the head of the table. His
name was printed in the pamphlet as
one of the incorporates of the new
company, and to-day he was to take
an active part. He was to read few
typewriter statements, as beftted
the potential secretary. As the faded
Simmons ushered in the last expected
magnate, Jimmie's father raped on
the table with his knuckles.
II reckon most of you gentlemen
know. the purpose O this meeting
at least in a general sort Of way" he
announced, $50 that we can get to.
gether on some Of the details.
won't take up any more time now ex.
cept to say that I'm backing this
proposition to the limit. It's the best
project I've ever handled, and If We
all stand together on 1t there's more
profits in it than we've ever made be-
fore.
another thing; Jim here is to bt
the secretary-and there's lot 0
room it it for some more sons anG
relatives, and 7 guess that'll come II
handy for most of you, anyhow
} You've read the copy of the charter
Of the Consolidated Tropical Frui
Products Development Company; it,
to raise bananas on the waste lands
in New England, and it's drawn 81
that we've the power to run anything
} from dago clearinghouse to ;
pipeline. Jim, read that statemen
that's been written for the news
papers, and then if there's no objec
ton we will send At OUT"
Jimmie arose with his Monograph
ed typewriter copy in his hand, anC
read:
Experiments made in the past few
years in the growing of bananas un.
der glass in the Botanical Gardens
of New York have demonstrated con,
clusively that it can be done. A new
field is thereby opened to American
industry. Two punches were recent
ly presented to local tuberculosis
hospital in triumphant conclusion Of
these experiments.
No more important field for a great
national industry has been opened vi
than that which lies in the develop
ment of this tremendous and proven
opportunity. Not only will it solve
the question of the enormous areas
Of abandoned farms and cut-timbel
tracts throughout New England anC
the Middle States, and thereby give
employment to thousands Of work
men, but it will react throughout tht
country and stimulate every industry
that is related to this great develop
ment Of the American homegrown
banana. This is obvious when 1t Ii
considered that millions of feet O.
glass will be required for the vas
areas of greenhouses, that Thousands
of tons of structural steel will BIZ
needed for the frames, and vast guam
titles of paint and putty to finish
their construction; also, in the line
Of accessories, there are the boilers
and heating pipes, the brick and &C.
ment, and the enormous demand fol
coal that will bring prosperity to al
, these trades.
The Consolidated Tropical Frui
Products Company proposes to begiI
, on a moderate scale and at the emf
of the first year to have one hundred
thousand acres Of these abandoned
, and cheap lands under glass, and tx
expand this acreage as rapidly a:
, possible. 1t is safe to say that NJ
industry that has been undertaken
in this country in the last half cen
, fury has held such tremendous pos
sibilities of profit and prosperity al
, lie in the growing of the American
banana. 1t is only natural to expec
that our government will lend it!
protection to such a vital nationa
enterprise.
Jimmie laid down the typewriter
page, and the old man handed hin
, another. This is the engineers re
, port. Read 1t, Jim. No, not all o.
it; just the summary-I've marked
it,"
And Jimmie read
| AS the result of the above mention
, ed experiments (the two punches
grown in the Botanical Gardens) 1
z becomes a simple matter to arrive a
the total production on the basis Of thu
| first years operations, !. e., a basi!
| OF one hundred thousand acres under
glass and planted to bananas. Ii II
. proposed to use the latest methods
; and intensive cultivation, and there
! fore the banana trees should b
| planted ten feet apart each way. This
, will give an average of four hundred
, banana trees to the acre, or a tota
: Of forty million banana trees. Allow
ing only one bunch OF bananas to tn
, tree and also figuring but two hun
dred bananas to the bunch, Their
would be grown for the first year th'
1T - s<I-l = 0ifr ~