230 THE BANANA 



give 60 per cent, of core to 40 of husk and top -stem ; but 

 in general it would be found that the core did not much 

 exceed 50 per cent., and the fresh core will yield 40 per 

 cent, of dry meal, so that from 20 to 25 per cent, of meal 

 is obtained from the plantain, or 5 Ibs. from an average 

 bunch of 25 Ibs., and an acre of plantain walk of average 

 quality, producing during the year 450 such bunches, would 

 yield a ton and 10 Ibs. of meal. Even supposing the meal 

 not to command over half the price of arrowroot, it would 

 still form an excellent outlet for plantains whenever, from 

 any cause, the price in the colony sank unusually low." 



F. A. Stockdale, writing in 1909 on the question of the 

 establishment of a banana industry in British Guiana,* 

 states that a large amount of the coast lands would not 

 be suitable for the successful cultivation of bananas- 

 poor land or worn-out cane land will not produce first- 

 class fruit. It is probable, if means of transport to the 

 seaboard were readily available, that much of the back 

 lands would suit admirably. A good deal of the land on 

 the lower parts of the rivers should also grow good crops 

 of bananas. 



The Commission of 1910 reported that the greater part 

 of the readily available front lands of British Guiana is 

 not suited for the production of bananas on a commercial 

 scale, and considered it hopeless to look for their produc- 

 tion on such a scale on the wind-swept abandoned lands 

 of the present sugar estates and of earlier cultivations. 



SURINAM. The history of the establishment and short 

 life of the banana plantations and trade in Surinam is 

 somewhat melancholy, but it illustrates not only the un- 

 conquerable spirit of a brave community in taking up a 

 new cultivation when their cocoa had been so disastrously 

 attacked by the " witch-broom " disease, but also the 

 help which an enlightened Government can give in foster- 

 ing a new industry. It is to be hoped that the last has 

 not been heard of an export trade in bananas from this 

 country, and that although the Congo banana has not 

 * Journ. of Board of Agric., iii. 72 (1909). 



