POLYNESIA 199 



generally conceded that one labourer (coloured) to six 

 acres is sufficient for clearing, planting, weeding, and 

 harvesting ; and the cost per head of such labour is 26 per 

 annum, which includes recruiting, fees, wages, and food. 

 A rough estimate of the cost of opening and bringing into 

 bearing fifty acres of bananas is as follows : 



. d. 



50 acres of land, say 105. per acre rent . 25 



Nine men for fifteen months 26 per annum . 292 10 



Plants, say 40 



Tools, spades, hoes, knives, punts, and labour house 100 



467 10 



" The first crop should give 200 bunches per acre, equal 

 to 



10,000 bunches at, say, 1*. 6d 750 



" This is a very low estimate of returns, and it is safe ta 

 say that in many instances considerably greater profits are 

 made. In the case of good land, cleared, ploughed, and 

 kept in first-class condition, the cost of upkeep could be 

 reduced and the output increased. 



" The cultivation is one that should be carried on in 

 conjunction with permanent crops, such as cocoa, coffee, 

 spice, rubber, citrus fruits, &c., any of which can be 

 planted in the same lines alternately with bananas ; and 

 in a few years, when the banana crop is exhausted, the 

 ground will be occupied with a permanent crop, the cost of 

 establishing which would be trifling owing to the profit on 

 the bananas, which not only do not injure other crops 

 growing with them, but are of assistance in affording shade 

 and keeping the soil in good condition." 



In 1910 the estimated cultivated area under bananas and 

 pineapples was 4742 acres. This does not include native 

 plantations from which the bulk of the fruit is derived. 



All fruit exported from the colony is subject to inspection 

 by the Inspector of Fruit, and any fruit unfit for exporta- 

 tion is discarded by that officer, who also sees that all 

 fruit is properly handled in shipment and carefully stowed 



