CHAPTER IX 



FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND PROSPECTS 



FOR BEGINNERS. COST OF CULTIVATION AND 



RECEIPTS. PROSPECTS FOR THOSE STARTING 



CULTIVATION 



COST OF CULTIVATION AND RECEIPTS 



IN considering the cost of preparing land and of cultivation 

 afterwards, certain expenditure for instance, that on 

 buildings, roads, fences, tramlines may well be entered 

 as charges to be spread over a certain number of years. 



In the irrigated district of St. Catherine, Jamaica, a 

 fair amount that should be allowed for preparation of land 

 and cultivation until the bananas begin to bear, is 15 an 

 acre, and the annual expenditure afterwards would be 

 10 an acre. 



The yield ought to be at the rate of 225 to 230 payable * 

 bunches per acre, and taking the contract price all the year 

 round at 8 155. per 100, the receipts would average 20 

 an acre. 



Whether the same price is paid for bananas throughout 

 the year, or whether it varies as it does for the American 

 market, the total annual receipts for a number of years 

 average double the amount of the expenditure. 



In the banana districts on the north side of Jamaica, 



* " Payable bunches " or " payables " mean nine hands and over ; 

 eight hands bring only three-fourths the price of nine hands, seven hands 

 one -half, six hands one -fourth. These are calculated into " payable 

 bunches " for instance, 400 eight hands mean 300 " straights " or nine 

 hands, 500 seven hands mean 250 "payables," 100 six hands mean 

 25 "payables," 



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