240 THE BANANA 



NICARAGUA. The first shipment, consisting of about 

 500 bunches, was made in the latter part of 1883, the fruit 

 being sold at the vessel's side at the rate of 50 cents 

 (Nicaraguan currency) per bunch. The success that 

 attended this first attempt induced many persons, in- 

 cluding several foreigners, to commence the cultivation of 

 bananas, and in five years the whole of both banks of the 

 Rama river, commencing from about twenty miles from 

 the Bluefields Lagoon up to the junction of the rivers 

 Escondido and Sequia, and such parts of the last-named 

 rivers as are navigable for canoes, had been cleared and 

 cultivated. In 1883, the number of bunches exported 

 was 8000 ; in 1887, 255,332 bunches ; in 1903, 2,000,000 

 bunches ; in 1910, 490,000 of the value of 22,090 ; and 

 in 1911, 2,250,000 bunches all going to the United States. 

 Important as is the export trade, the home consumption is of 

 much more importance, for next to corn (maize), plantains 

 and bananas form the principal sustenance of the natives. 



GUATEMALA. About a quarter of a century ago, the 

 establishment of lines of steamers between New Orleans 

 and Livingstone, and the bounty offered by the Govern- 

 ment, stimulated the planting of many small fincas along 

 the shores and on the river-banks. Under contract with 

 the steamship companies, the planter sold his bananas at 

 50 cents a bunch (of not less than eight hands) during five 

 months of the year, and for 37| cents the rest of the year. 

 The cost of production was calculated at 12 J cents per 

 bunch (United States currency). Plantains were realizing 

 at the same time 25 cents a bunch of twenty-five, some- 

 times as much as $1 25 c. per 100 fruits. The export is 

 still small ; in 1909 it was 765,223 bunches, valued at 

 45,911, which were shipped from Livingstone and Puerto 

 Barrios to the United States. A large increase in the ex- 

 port is expected in view of the large extent of new land being 

 brought under cultivation by the United Fruit Company 

 in the valley of the Lower Motagua near Puerto Barrios. 



The estimated production for the year 1910 was 1,225,684 

 bunches, valued at 70,000. 



