156 THE BANANA 



of approximately 70,139 tons gross register ; these, with 

 fifty-nine chartered steamships of 82,477 tons gross, make 

 together a total of 100 steamships of 269,868 tons gross. 

 Many of the United Fruit Company's steamers are fitted 

 with mechanical cooling on a system adapted from the 

 J. and E. Hall system used on Messrs. Elders and Fyffes' 

 steamers, but modified to suit the special conditions of the 

 American trade ; some are fitted with the regular Hall 

 installation, and others with Hall's machines of exceptional 

 power to deal with fruit of a riper grade, which will go 

 into consumption as fast as it can be put on the market. 



The chief sources of supply to the United States are the 

 following countries : Jamaica, Costa Rica, Colombia, 

 Panama, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, Cuba, San 

 Domingo. The total number of bunches of bananas 

 imported into the United States from all sources for the 

 year ended September 30, 1912, was as follows : 



United Fruit Company . . . 26,974,258 

 Other companies .... 16,287,411 



Total 43,261,669 



The estimated shipments of bunches of bananas to the 

 United States for the year ended September 30, 1913, are 



United Fruit Company . . . 29,842,135 

 Other companies 17,035,000 



Total 46,877,135 



The growth of the demand for bananas necessitates 

 continued extensive development work. Large purchases 

 by the United Fruit Company of banana properties and 

 lands available for banana planting were made during the 

 year 1912 in the Republics of Colombia, Panama, Costa 

 Rica, and in other parts of Central America. Large 

 developments are being carried on in Costa Rica, Guatemala, 

 and Panama, the company's policy being to grow a large 

 proportion of its fruit in order to ensure an adequate supply 

 and maintain a standard quality. 



