SOUTH AMERICA 233 



the disease, the Dutch Government resolved not to give 

 any more advances for the banana business under the old 

 conditions. So the contract with the United Fruit 

 Company had to be broken, but the company declared 

 itself inclined to buy up the fruit for a short time to see 

 if the Congo was fit for export. During this period a 

 steamer would be sent only thrice in four weeks. 



" In October 1912 the United Fruit Company informed 

 the Government that it would not take the Congo any 

 longer because it was not marketable. The Government 

 and the company entered into negotiations with the 

 preliminary result that the company will buy bunches 

 till May 16, 1913, by a two-weekly service. 



" The Congo banana does not grow as high as the Gros 

 Michel ; I think the largest stems are about 8-10 ft. ; as 

 a rule the stem hangs a little to one side, so that every stem 

 must be propped ; this is a disadvantage as compared with 

 the Gros Michel. However, it is an advantage that the 

 stem is not so high, as harvesting of the bunches is easier 

 in this variety. The usual distance is about 14 ft. ; but 

 the distance depends also upon the trees planted between 

 the bananas, either coffee or cacao, and sometimes rubber. 

 Ripe bunches may be harvested in nine months after 

 planting ; the main crop comes after ten to eleven months. 

 The bunches of the first crop are not very big, the average 

 size is the eight -hand bunch ; the second crop gives the 

 fine big bunches, often ten and more hands. The bunch, 

 however, is not so regular as the Gros Michel ; particularly 

 there is often a great distance between the first, second, and 

 third hands. The hands contain a large number of fingers. 

 As I have already stated, the Congo is immune against the 

 disease ; after the first cases no more have been reported. 

 The great trouble in the fruit is that it does not ripen 

 regularly ; sometimes the skin is still green and the pulp 

 already soft ; some fingers are also sometimes ripe long 

 before the other part of the bunch. The fingers look like 

 those of the Gros Michel ; the colour is not such a nice 

 yellow ; they taste a little sweeter, and have not the same 



