293 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



September 10, 1904. 



WEST INDIAN FRUIT. 



THE BANANA INDUSTRY IN THE 

 CANARY ISLANDS. 



Considerable space is devoted in the VoriAohir 

 Report on the trade of the Canary Islands for 1903 to 

 the banana in(bistr3-. We give the following summary, 

 which is of jiarticular interest in view of the develop- 

 ment of the industry in these islands : — 



Dui-iiiy tlie year l,879,2r)8 crates, of tlic value of 

 £375,851 were exported, as against l,G5l),876 crates, 

 valued at £281:,:320, iu the previous year. 



It might reasonably have been anticiiiatcd that the 

 prices of the fruit would decrease in proportion as the 

 output increased, but such has not been the case. Even 

 although a considerable amount of land lias been brought 

 under irrigation since 1900, prices have maintained a steady 

 upward movement. It is confidently e.xpected that prices 

 will not only be maintained but continue to ri.se. Pessimistic 

 views are, however, afso held. In conseipjence of the 

 introduction of .Jamaica bananas into the United Kingdom, 

 shipowners deemed it advisable to meet the threatened 

 comiietition by a reduction of freights. Competition among 

 the shipping companies has also benefited the farmer, and 

 an impulse has hoen given to increased cultivation. A further 

 cause of the rise in values wa.s the storm in .Jamaica, which 

 induced the belief that, for a con.siderablc time at any rate, 

 there would be short .sup|ilies in the United Kingdom. 



Although it is anticipated that freights may be raised 

 and prices fall owing to .Jamaica bananas resuming their 

 place on the British market, .?ome authorities are of oi>inion 

 that growers have a sufficiently large margin of profit to 

 allow for a considerable reduction in prices, and that tlie 

 trade has a fair future before it, especially if the proposed 

 irrigation schemes are carried out. 



In a note added biter it is stated that the prices 

 have dropped considerably owing to increased arrivals 

 from Jamaica. 



PINE-APPLE CULTIVATION IN FIJI 



Indian I'laniing and Gard<'niv(j has the 

 following short article on pine-apple cidtivation in 

 Fiji. It will be seen that in several respects methods 

 differ from those practised in the West Indies: — . 



Our Fiji pines are all exported and find a market in 

 Australia and New Zealand. We do not do any canning 

 here, but shij) the fruit whole in cases, averaging about 

 thirty pines to the case. The nature of the country and 

 climate of Fiji, however, are far more suited to the 



growing of liananas or [ilantains than [lines: hut unfor- 

 tunately, the hurricanes we exiieiience severely injure 

 the bananas and do not harm the pines. 



Ctliitate and Sod rci/idrcil. — Pines require a moderately 

 dry climate, otherwise they get too watery and soft, and then 

 will not travel well when .shiiii>ed. A loose, friable soil of 

 a .sandy nature is Ijest. I generally plant 5 x 5 feet, so as to 

 perndt of subsequent croiis matiring jiroperly. 



Siicl-ers fur Flantimj. — The young he;dthy suckers near 

 the bottom of the i)arent plants are the best for planting. 

 From such the fruit will be readj' for cutting in about twelve 

 months. From the head or top shoot when planted fruits 

 take nearly two years to come to maturity, but from these it; 

 is a good plan to get a change of .seed. Do not jilant any 

 suckers that have Howered, as the crop from these would be 

 very small. The correct time to take the suckers for planting 

 is before the fruit has been cut from the parent plant. 



After the third year of cutting it is advisable to replant, 

 and if possible not on the old land, but .select new soil. 



C'M and Labour. — If the land is heavily timbered it 

 would cost £,i per acre to bring it into bearing in Fiji. After 

 lieint; planted one man can keep 15 acres clean — it must be 



ke^jt very clean 

 time. 



but 



more labour is reijuirea cluring crop 



MOSQUITOS AND MALARIA. 



The following reference to the successful efforts 

 that have been made to remove the cause of 

 malaria at Ismailia occurs in the t'onxido r Hi'jKiii on 

 the trade of Port Said and Suez: — 



In 1902, the Canal Company invited Major Itonald lloss 

 to come out on a special mission in order to deal with the 

 (juestion of mostpiitos in connexion with the malarial fever 

 which for many years had proved a .scourge at Ismailia. 

 The report says: ' Moscpiito larvae developing exclusively in 

 stagnant water, our first efforts were to deal with the marshy 

 .soil round the town. Several large pools were filled ui', and 

 where this could be done narrow trenches were dug and 

 currents of water maintained in order to prevent the larvae 

 from remaining. A statl" was also organized for the regular 

 inspection of buildings, and petroleum was freely u.sed in all 

 tank.s, etc., wdiicli could not be filled up. These measures, 

 combined with the obligator}' employment of quinine, liave 

 produced the most sati.^factory and decisive results. Not 

 only have the mosquitos entirely disappeared, but the cases of 

 fever have also diminished, and it may be regarded as certain 

 that ill the very near future malarial fever will definitely cease 

 at Ismailia.' 



