WEST INDIES AND BERMUDA 253 



holdings comprising fewer than 20 acres. Taking the 

 acreage for 1910-11 as being mature and all bearing fruit, 

 and comparing this with exports for 1911, it appears that 

 the number of exportable bunches produced per acre was 

 208 ; and comparing acreage with value, as given in the 

 Government returns, the average gross yield for the island 

 was over 18 per acre. 



Banana Figs in Jamaica. " Banana figs " have been 

 prepared in Jamaica during the last few years with success 

 which has varied according to the care and knowledge 

 displayed in the preparation. An article is wanted that 

 will give all the delicacy of flavour of the ripe fruit with 

 inviting appearance and perfect keeping qualities. There 

 are now eleven factories at work in Jamaica, but probably 

 only those that turn out " figs " as described above will 

 be able to continue. An inferior preparation damages not 

 only the manufacturer, but the whole trade, and probably 

 accounts in some measure for the present small demand. 

 The export has fluctuated considerably, but has steadily 

 increased to Germany and Holland. 



Messrs. Gillespie Bros, and Co. write : " We are informed 

 by one of the large buyers in Hamburg that he could place 

 two or three hundred boxes of 56 Ibs. each monthly at the 

 price of about 425. to 43s. per cwt. ex store Hamburg, 

 but that if the quantity shipped from the West Indies or 

 elsewhere were increased to any great extent, the price 

 would rapidly decline, as only a certain quantity was at 

 present required. The value of the article in the English 

 market is not considered to be more than 35*. to 38s. per 

 cwt., and the present demand is quite small, although it is 

 possible that by extensive advertising the consumption 

 might be considerably increased." 



Among the exports from Jamaica in 1912-13 were 9389 

 packages of banana figs valued at 7808. As the factories 

 use up the smaller bunches of fruit not suitable for export 

 as fruit, and as some of them are located at places so 

 distant from a seaport as to forbid the sale of fruit during 

 the dull season, they appear to supply an urgent need. 



