208 THE BANANA 



The skin of this banana is much more delicate than that 

 of the Jamaican, and it is necessary to pack the bunches 

 carefully in strongly made wooden crates to prevent 

 bruising and consequent destruction by rotting. The 

 method employed is simple, but it requires some little 

 experience to do it properly. The bottom of the crate is 

 first covered with a layer of banana trash. The bunch is 

 wrapped in a sheet of cotton- wool, which serves to protect 

 the fruit ; it is then enclosed in thin paper. Thin strips 

 from banana trunks are wrapped round the whole to keep 

 paper and wool in position while it is being put into the 

 crate. When carefully placed in the crate, trash is stuffed 

 round to prevent the paper from unwrapping. The strings 

 are then cut and pulled out, and more trash is inserted, 

 to act as a cushion to prevent injury from the jars received 

 in transit. The top of the bunch is also covered with 

 trash, and then slats are nailed on to complete the 

 crate. 



" Each crate should have the shipping mark and a 

 mark indicating the quality of the fruit stencilled on that 

 end of the crate containing the flower end or small end of 

 the bunch. The following method of marking is practised : 

 A bunch weighing when in the crate from 40 to 49 Ibs. 

 (gross) should have one ' X ' marked on the end of the 

 crate, a bunch weighing 50 to 59 Ibs. ' XX,' one weighing 

 60 to 69 Ibs. 'XXX/ and so on. Bunches which weigh 

 more than 60 Ibs. should always be shipped by themselves, 

 but when they weigh less, they may be packed two in the 

 same crate, side by side. This fact is indicated by putting 

 the figure 2 after the 6 X's ' marked on the end of the 

 crate." * 



The total quantity of bananas shipped in 1911 from the 

 Canaries was 2,648,378 crates. The scarcity and con- 

 sequent dear ness of other fruits in 1909 had the effect of 

 stimulating the consumption of bananas in Italy, France, 

 and Germany, with the result that the fruit has become 

 almost as popular in these countries as in the British Isles, 

 * Journ. B. Agric,, B. Guiana. 



