Report of Society's Meetings. 187 



3. Not over 5 per cent., as Banana plants have good strong roots, 

 and we are not troubled here with high winds as in other places. 



4. If the plants are properly cultivated and well cared for, 75 per cent, 

 will be full 8-hands, the other 25 per cent, will run from 7 to 5 hands. 



5. In this climate, yes. 



6. Not over §40.00 per acre ; and after the empolderinganddrainag 

 is done, 830 is the outside cost. 



7. This depends entirely on where the Bananas are grown. There is 

 no doubt that the river lands will be the favourite places, and as our 

 rivers are navigable for so many miles, the steamers would run up 

 alongside of the plantations. This is a facility that no other part of the 

 Banana growing world has, and hence our fruit could be shipped with 

 small expense and very little handling. 



8. Owing to our facilities for shipping all along the river, it should 

 not cost over 2 cents per bunch. 



9. As the steamers could steam along the river and stop in front of 

 the plantations, there would be no trouble of shipping direft from the 

 farms, and should the business grow to any great extent, the large 

 plantations would no doubt run out jetties for the steamers to lay along- 

 side ; in this case bateaux from the smaller farms would come alongside . 



10. I have seen Bananas landed from steamers both in Baltimore and 

 New York, after being on board six days, in excellent condition — in 

 fadt not yet ripe, and those were by transient steamers that were not 

 fitted up expressly for the trade. 



11. I do not know how many bunches Jamaica ships per annum, but 

 this I do know, that the third year after the subsidy was granted. Jamaica 

 received ,£193,000 sterling for her fruit alone, and last year she received 

 .£225,900 sterling. This money is brought by the steamers in cash and 

 distributed all round the Island. 



12. The Port of Savannah being 1.892 miles, the steamers purposed 

 for this route, they being 16 knots boats, will cover the distance in a little 

 less than 5 days, and I would here mention that the authorities of the 

 Savannah and Georgia Railroad running through to the West have 

 offered Mr. Rogers every facility for the transportation of the fruit 

 This carries our fruit diredt to the Western States where few Bananas 

 have yet gone. 



13. The very fatt of Mr. Rogers going to the expense of bringing 

 200,000 plants to the colony and distributing them gratis to the Farmers 

 and Planters at a cost for the plants alone of S6,ooooo, and then waiting 

 12 months and returning to the colony to purchase the fruit and 



