164 



THE AOrJCL'LTURAL NEWS. 



Fe-tembek 13, 1902. 



WEST INDIAN FRUIT. 



BANANAS FOR THE BRITISH MARKET. 



Thr iulldwiiig interesting letter lias been adilressed 

 to tiie .Secretary of State for the Colemies 1 y 

 Mr. A. C. Stewart, the Government Emigration Agent 

 for Jamaica, at Calcutta. It is singular that while this 

 Department has been stmngly advocating the claims 

 of the Chinese or Dwarf banana (that is, the Canary 

 banana) for cultivation in the Lesser Antilles, 

 Mr. Stewart is prepared to recommend that this banana, 

 well known throughout the West Indies, should be 

 grown at Jamaica a.s well as the Gro^i Michel banana, 

 in order, as he states, that Jani.-iica may have two 

 sti-ings to its bow. Mr. Stewart's letter is as follows: — 



Lomlon, .luly 19, 1902. 



T have the honour to submit for the c-on.siJeration of the 

 llight Hoiioiu-alilo the .Secretary of State for the C<i',(iiiies 

 the following remark.s regarding the Banana Tnule of 

 Jamaica, in the hope that the point to which I vcntnre to 

 draw attention in its interests may be thought of .sufficient 

 importance to warrant tlie forwarding of this letter to the 

 autlioritil's in the West Indies. 



2. I have now lieen in this country on leave of absence 

 for nearly four months, staying in diti'erent parts of England 

 and Scotland. Wlierevcr [ liave gone I have made it my 

 jiractice when visiting fruitereis' shops to make in(juirics as 

 to the demand for bananas. 1 regret to state that in almost 

 every case a ]ireferenco has been c.\)ircssed for the variety 

 imported from the Canai'y Islamls. 



1 tldnk I may say that 1 have liad a very wide experi- 

 ence of the fruit, having lived in botli the East Indies and 

 tlie West Indies. Personally, of the two, i prefer the Canary 

 banana and I find this preference .siiared very largely by 

 persons who have resided in the tropics. I believe I ai.i 

 also right in saying that the Canary banana commands a 

 readier sale in the Covent Garden Jlarket. It may be lU'ged 

 that the Jamaica banana apiieals to a different class. I 

 understand that this is tlie ca.se, but, .so far as my experience 

 goes with the .lamaica banana, this is a lower clas.s. It is 

 sold very largely on street barrows and fetches retail a lower 

 price than llie Canary banana, whicJi in its turn ajipcals to 

 a better class. 



i\Iy suggestion is not that the variety now grown in 

 Jamaica should be entirely reiilaced by the Canary variety. 

 "What I feel is tins : firstly, that the better article will always 



command the market in the long run, and secondly, that it is 

 admitted that there is a large demand for tlie Canary variety. 

 I, therefore, consider that it would be wiser for Jamaica to 

 meet the pul>l:e taste and to grow both varieties, so having 

 two strings to its Ijow. 



I have not seen the Canary banana actually growing, 

 but I believe it to bo nearly identical with the dwarf variety 

 grown in Trinidad under the name of 'Governor Fig' and 

 known in India as 'Kabuli Kela' — .)fusa CavaidUhii. This 

 variety produces large well shaped bunches, and, owing to its 

 less luxuriant habit, would jn'obably be found less exhausting 

 to the s'jil, while it certainly withstands strong winds better. 

 In any case it would not be difficult to makc^ the experi- 

 ment, if necessary, obtaining .some suckers of the Canary 

 variet}'. 



.'5. I do not claim that the Canary banana is the best 

 that can be grown. In my own trarden in ('alcutta I grow 

 at least five varieties, two introduced by myself from Fiji 

 and three indigenous to India — 'Chamjia', 'China Champa' 

 and '^Martaban', which I consider nuich better a.s regards 

 flavour and consistency; Imt, as far as my exi>ericnce goes 

 they are not so profitable — both the bunches and the indi- 

 vidual bananas are smaller, while the ^Lirtaban \ariety is 

 more difficult to grow and travels badly. 



4. I think also it would be worth while to make 

 inquiries as Ui the varieties which are grown in Fiji for the 

 Australian market. I am (juite sure that the imblic will 

 always apiireciate a good article and I feel that Jamaica 

 .should try to sup[ily the best possible rather than to rest; 

 .satisfied witli producing the particular variety which it may 

 haiipen to have, without ini|niring whether or not it is that 

 which people here prefer and are i>rcpare<l to pay for. 



PACKING AND SHIPPING PINE-APPLES. 



The following practical hints in respect of the 

 ])a(dving and shipment of pine-apples from the West 

 Indies have recently been published by Mr. II. llesketh 

 Uell, the Administrator of Dominica; — 



(1) Exercise the greatest care in handling the fruit from 

 the field to the jiacking shed. The sbglitest brui.se at this 

 stage involves ab.sohitc ruin to the fruit when it ripen-s. 

 (2) Carefully grade your [lines. Do not jint large and small 

 in the same crate. I'incs weighing Wss than ')l lb. are 

 liardly worth shiiiping to London. (3) I'ack your fruit with, 

 all possible precautions. Wrap thein first in clean paper and 



