Evening star., 1923-10-16
YES, We HAVE fine
BANANA OUTLOOK
1924 Crop Expected to Off,
set Hurricane Losses of
Over 100000 Bunches.
BY J. C. ROYLE.

Special Dispatch to The Star
NE" YORK, October 16.-Thcre is
more truth than poetry in Yes. We
Hove No Bananas" The writers of
that popular song told a trade truth
without knowing it, according TO Of
hcials of the United Fruit Company,
one of the main factors in the trop-
ical fruit industry OF the world. Trop
ical hurricanes. which exceeded In
volume all the wind pressure which
ever Will be eXerted by trombone and
saxophone players in times to come.
destroyed more than 10000, 900
punches, or stalks" in Central and
South America and the West Indies
the past season. William NeWsome
vice president of the United Fruit.
estimated his company's loss alone at
more than 100000 punches.
Auction Prices Advanced.
AS a result, he added. the normal
crop of bananas did not reach this
country to supply an ever-increasing
demand. Prices at tho auction sales
in the ports where the fruit is landed
therefore advanced. and costs were
still further increased because the
vessels of the company were unable
10 prlng full cargoes, arriving with
half their cargo space empty. The
hurricane losses to British growers
In Jamaica also tended to complicate
matters, as the English market also
was short and European demand also
is increasing.
The shortage bids fair to last no
longer than the popularity Of the
song. There is every prospect that
1924 will see greatly increased pro-
duction," Mr.. Newsome said. THE
United Fruit Company is taking up
the plans for supplying an increased
world demand which were interrupt
ed by the war and increasing the
extent of its plantations and of its
feet.
Trees Easily Damaged.
"of course, cultivation of bananas
is, in a measure. a gamble with the
elements, as banana trees, largely
composed OF pith and water, are par
ticularly susceptible to damage h.
windstorms, and when one is broken
or beaten down it requires fifteen
months to grow a substitute which
will produce marketable fruit. How
ever, with the hurricane season now
past, there is every prospect that
1924 will be a big year. The banana
Is a sealed fruit, protected and
rendered thoroughly clean by its skin.
and that fact, in conjunction with
its paiatable qualities and its food
value. is bringing 1t into constantly
increasing popularity.
Political and industrial conditions
are excellent in central and northern
seems the only possible menace to
the growth of the industry. Rela-
tions between the Latin American re-
publics and the United States have
been most satisfactory in the last
years, and for the first time mer-
" hn
are coming to New York and other
American ports to buy their goods
This trend is fully shown in the VOL
ume of travel northward on our boats.
especially during the summer sea-
son."
Mr.. Newsome declared that the
tourist traffic to Central and South
America was growing by leaps and
bounds. This traffic, he said, would
result in many of the larger vessels
ter. These boats, however, will take
on fruit cargoes as usual.
Heavy Apple Movement.
New estimates just completed indi-
cate that the crop of commercial. win
ter-keeping apples in Washington
state will exceed $4,000 carloads OF
$50 boxes to the car. The figures for
some of the apple growing districts
show a decided advance over esti-
mates of a month ago. Large ship
ments are going steadily forward to
Great Britain, and the English i'm
ports, both from Canada and the
United States. are expected to show
a marked increase over the 1929
season. Demand for export is heavy
on both the Atlantic and Pacific
coasts, but in some middle-west cen
ters the market is flooded and cor
siderable fruit is rotting on the
ground.
Copyright, 1927