246 THE BANANA 



also made that each crate should be inspected before 

 shipment, and a Government stamp placed upon it as 

 evidence that the bunch weighed the number of pounds, or 

 consisted of the number of hands, as stated by the shipper. 

 It is confidently expected that a sufficient number of 

 planters will be induced to re-embark upon the banana 

 industry to enable a binding arrangement to be made. 



PORTO Rico. Messrs. Cook and Collins, in " Economic 

 Plants of Porto Rico," state that the banana is, perhaps, 

 the most important food crop of the island, but that it is 

 not regularly cultivated, only used as shade for coffee, and 

 not exported. As shade is the chief point, and no fruit is 

 exported, the Jamaican banana is scarcely known, as other 

 varieties are considered better for local consumption. 

 They suggest that one of the numerous varieties superior 

 to that known in commerce should be planted so as to 

 produce export quantities. " The value of the common 

 sort lies in its shipping qualities, which result from the fact 

 that it shares some of the attributes of the plantain in 

 being of rather coarse texture, with a tough skin and a 

 large quantity of mealy outer coating of the flesh, which 

 gives the dry sensation, and, when not thoroughly ripened, 

 the astringent taste. Really fine varieties are so superior 

 in flavour and texture that, once regularly introduced 

 into the trade, they would certainly secure the popular 

 preference and command special prices." Greater care would 

 be required in shipping, but the returns on carefully packed 

 good mangoes sent to England from Jamaica are so large 

 that no doubt prices would pay handsomely for equal 

 care given to the very best bananas. One requisite, how- 

 ever, is that the selected variety should be put on the 

 market in such quantity as would justify fruit merchants 

 in properly introducing it to the public. These notes 

 suggested for the consideration of Porto Rico planters 

 are most important and have been borne in mind for some 

 years by those responsible for the Botanic Gardens in 

 Jamaica. Efforts have been made there to form a large 

 collection of varieties, and some of the planters have made 



