COCOA GROWING COUNTRIES 463 



district decreased from 267,000 kilograms to 84,500 

 kilograms. 



Gradually all the districts of the colony became 

 infected. Along the lower course of the Commewijne 

 and Surinam River, where most of the plantations are 

 situated, the maximum production was obtained in 

 18992,292,000 kilograms ; but in the following years 

 a rapid and disastrous decrease was experienced, and in 

 1904 only 173,700 kilograms were obtained. This will 

 give an idea of the calamity the witch-broom disease 

 brought to the colony. Also the exports figures given 

 on p. 433 show the rapid decline from 4^ million 

 kilograms in 1895 and a little less than 4 million 

 in 1899 to 854,000 kilograms in 1904. 



The uncertainty whether it would be possible or not 

 to combat the disease induced the Government to make 

 a trial to establish a new culture. In 1906 about thirty 

 plantations began to cultivate bananas with money 

 advanced by the Government. 



Though up till now this culture has not been a finan- 

 cial success, it has helped to save several plantations 

 from being abandoned. The bananas were sold to the 

 United Fruit Company, and every week the bananas 

 were exported by special fruit ships to New York. 1 In 

 the early years the " Gros Michel" variety was planted, 

 but the serious disease (the so-called " Panama disease") 

 which attacked this variety led to the planting of a 

 more disease -resisting variety, the so-called "Congo" 

 banana. 



It is not impossible that the culture of the " Congo " 

 bananas will be a success. If this could be obtained 

 it would help to extend the area planted with cocoa, 

 making the first few years during which the cocoa 

 may be cultivated under shade of the Congo banana 

 remunerative. 



As explained in Chapter VIII. , a method has been 



1 Since this chapter was written the United Fruit Company has discon- 

 tinued the buying and export of bananas. At the present time (January 

 1914) there is no export of bananas from Surinam. Planters are busy with 

 negotiations with other companies for selling their bananas. 



