THE CUBA REVIEW. 



23 



The Comimercial Side of the Banana Industry in Cuba. 



For the local market there is a steady demand for the common varieties, such 

 a? manzanos, machos, etc., at just fair prices. The average price for manzanos is 

 from 15 to 20 cents per bunch, according to size, season, etc. There is also a limited 

 demand for Johnson's, enanos, etc., but the yield' of these varieties per acre is very 

 much less, with an average season, than of the manzanos. 



The yield of manzanos is from 200 to 600 bunches per acre per year, after the 

 plantation has come into full bearing. The yields vary Largely with season, care, etc. 



For the export market Johnson bananas have heen grown for many years in 

 the eastern end of Cuba from Baracoa to Banes B;ay. At one time there was quite 

 an extensive area planted in the vicinity of Banes and Nipe bays. 



Of recent years the industry has been upon the decline. I am told there are 

 two reasons which largely accoimt tor this: The short shipping season (seldo^m over 

 4 to 6 months) caused by the long dry winters; and the poor carrying quality of the 

 Cuban grown bananas as compared with the same fruit grown farther south in the 

 tropics. 



There are still a good many bananas grown in the rich lands along the bays 

 on the coast of the extreme eastern end of the Island, and probably will be for a 

 good many years. But as far as I am a'ble to find out, there is no land in either 

 middle or western Cuba which is suitable for banana culture on a commercial scale 

 for the export market. 



AGRICULTURAL NOTES. 



Banana Fibers. 



We translate from the "Bulletin de la 

 Societe de Geographie Commerciale," of 

 Paris, the following : 



"The stalk of the Musa Paradisiaca L., 

 as well as that of the Musa Sapientum L., 

 produces fibers which, for lack of suitable 

 madhines, are wasted ; but with the "Auto- 

 matische Entfaserungsmachine," a defiber- 

 ing machine of German make, not only 

 are the fibers of bananas extracted, but also 

 those of the American agave, "foureroya," 

 aloes, pineapple, "sansiveiras" and other 

 textile plants. These fibers are used in the 

 manufacture of cordage, cloth and paper. 



"In Jamaica, not having this machine, 

 the agriculturists extract the fiber in the 

 following manner : The stalks are cut in 

 pieces longitudinally, and after having 

 passed between cylinders, are boiled in 

 water, with potash, soda, or lime, to loosen 

 the viscous parts. The fibers are then 

 dried in the sun, and when dry are divided 

 according to their fineness. In Jamaica it 

 is said tlhat the fibers of the Musa Para- 

 disiaca L. are whiter and finer than those 

 of the Musa Sapientum L., and it is cal- 

 culated that the stalk of the former, which 

 weighs 108 pounds, can produce 25 ounces 

 of suitable fibers, while the stalk of the 

 latter, weighing 25 pounds, produces only 

 seven and a half ounces of suitable fibers. 

 A ton of fiber thus treated is worth from 

 £12 to £15. 



One sample of Musa Paradisiaca L. sent 

 from the Island of Trinidad to London in 

 1886 was estimated to be worth from £24 

 to £25 per ton. Another sample sent from 

 Britisn Guiana to London in 1892 (of the 

 Musa Sapientum L.) was valued at £25 

 per ton. 



Manures for Pineapples. 



The need for the application of large 

 quantities of fertilizers in the cultivation 

 of pineapples is emphasized in an article 

 m the Florida Agriculturist. This is on 

 account of the fact that many soils, well 

 adapted from the point of view of their 

 situation and physical conditions to pine- 

 apple culture, contain very little plant 

 food. By the provision of the neces- 

 sary constituents, however, the pineap- 

 ple will live, flourish and give good crops 

 for twelve or fifteen years. 



Organic manures, such as cottonseed 

 meal and dried blood, are preferable to 

 nitrate soda or sulphate of ammonia, for 

 the supply of nitrogen. The continued 

 use of nitrate of soda or sulphate of am- 

 monia, brings about a spiky condition 

 of the plants, and results in the produc- 

 tion of fruits of small size and poor 

 keeping quality. 



Bone meal gave satisfactory results. 

 Superphosphate was unprofitable, and re- 

 sulted in an unhealthy condition of the 

 plants, with lessened fruit return. With 

 a good dressing of lime, much better 

 returns were given. 



A good supply of ootash is also es- 

 sential and sulphate of potash is recom- 

 sults than kainit. The following is rec- 

 ommended as a good mixed manure suit- 

 able for the pineapple crop: Dried blood. 

 735 lbs.; raw ground bone, 435 lbs., and 

 low-grade sulphate of potash, 925 lbs.; 

 making a total of 2,095 lbs. per acre. 



The above is for the first year. In the 

 second year, a heavier application of 

 fertilizing constituents should be made. 

 Under average circumstances, how- 

 ever, no more than 3,500 lbs. to 3,800 

 lbs. of manure can be profitably ap- 

 plied each year. ■ 



