The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1914-09-10

main shipping states being Guatemala
and Nicaragua. For transportation
purposes bananas must be picked
green in order to stand shipping, and
they often reach the center of the Uni
ted States in this stage. They must
be ripened and this ripening process
is often carried out, in some localities.
in the most unsanitary and filthy sur
roundings. They have been found pill
ed or stored in rear rooms or cellars
of the sales rooms, blankets being
thrown over them, and the beds thus
formed used as sleeping places not
only by human beings but also by cats
and dogs. Such conditions are illegal
under the sanitary food law of Ten
nessee. When the banana reaches the
ordinary yellow tint. familiar to us, it
is placed on the market for sale and
considered ripe. However, at this
stage the fruit is not fully ripe, as all
the starches have not been converted
into digestible sugars, and this is usu-
ally the reason why bananas do not
agree with some people, who like them
but cannot eat them. The proper
stage of ripeness of the bana is reach
ed when the peel has turned brown or
tan and has not been broken. If hte
skin is broken fermentation or sour
ing will have taken place, making the
fruit of course unfit for use.
When the banana has ripened until
it is brown then all the starches which
are indigestible will have been con-
verted to sugars, rendering the fruit
not only more healthful but more pala-
table.
The banana is not only valuable for
its peculiar flavor, which is pleasant
and sweet, but also has a high nutri-
tive value. and the price is within
reach of the poorest man.
In Cuba, where great quantities are
grown, the output is consumed by the
native population, forming one of the
principal foods of the island.
+ The banana has perhaps less waste
than any other fruit, as the whole of
the inner portion is edible. Bananas
are not only eaten raw, but are also
fried, baked and used in various other
forms. There are also varieties known
as the "oronoco" and colorado"
which have a red color, as well as the
"indiano," which is large yellow an
gular banana with salmon colored |
pulp, and which has rather disagree
able acid flavor.
While the thoroughly ripened ba-
mana is the most palatable and diges-
tible, the line must be drawn at those
In which fermentation has started |
The Tennessee food and drugs law for
bids the sale of filthy. decomposed or
putrid food and drugs materials, and
If consumer finds on sale bananas
which are overripe and fast going
down-hill he should notify the nearest
inspector of the state food and drugs
Into an old dasher churn, and mix
thoroughly for Is minutes. The mix
ture should be applied once or twice
a week with brush. 1t must be stir
red well before being used
Fish oil is rated as one of the best
repellents and has been used alone
and in combination with various
other substances. Other substances
that have repellent qualities and that
have been used in various mixtures
are pine tar, oil Of tar. crude. ,carbolic
acid, oil of pennyroyal. and kerosene
The protective action of fish oil is
stated to range from less than two
days PARROT, 1900) to six days.
Moore's formula is said to protect for
two days. This mixture is safe when
applied lightly with brush, but not
when applied literally with a pail
spray pump. The formula is as fol-
lows:
Fish parts
Oil of parts
Crude carbolic acid.......................1 pal
Laurel oil is very effective repel-
lent. Mayer (1911) found that the pro-
lection lasted from to IL days. The
oil when used pure has an irritating
effect unless it is applied lightly. Ac-
cording to Mayer the irritating effect
may be overcome by combining it with I,
linseed oil in the proportion of to 10.
In the experiments of the Department
Of Agriculture, it was found that 10 F,
per cent of laurel oil in cottonseed oil /
was active for less than a day. s
A number of formulas for repellents =
FOR application to wounds have been :
by various authors.
!. In experimental tests carried out by I
the department the following results
were obtained:
A 10 per cent mixture of crude car
bolic acid (21.S per cent phenols) i'll
oil has very strong re-
pellent action on flies, but this lasts
less than a day, in consequence of
which 1t is necessary to apply the mix
lure every day. The mixture should
be applied lightly with a brush. since
/ heavy application with a spray pump
IS likely to cause phenol poisoning.