303 
"T Convict vec wien 
DEAR Str, April 9, 
pom Gordon, Grant, & Co. have ro given qu result, in 
an t sale, of a trial shipment of p ripe bananas. I 
Piei t » think this experiment will prove he Be ii important interest 
to banana growers, especially to those who have the right kind for 
drying, namely, the Gros Michel, known also as the Jamaica or 
Martinique banana. Drying the bananas o opens up a way of utilising 
the fruit that no other means offers. It overcomes the difficulty of bad 
roads, remote districts, and other drawbacks which the planter has to 
face in getting his bananas to market. It also does away with the risks 
of handling and of the sea voyage. 
Dealing with the first item in the account, namely, 97 boxes, this 
the peeling and drying process. 'The 97 boxes contained one pound 
of dried fruit each and sold for $19 40c. or 20c. per lb. s or, after 
deducting freight charges, em 47c., a fraction under 16e. per Ib. 
A bunch weighing 52 lbs, less one-third in drying, sei 17 lbs. of 
dried fruit and sold at 16c. per r lb, This is at the rate of $2 72c. per 
bunch. A further charge of 53e. must be considered in producing the 
bunch. This would cover purchase of land, clearing woods, ETERNE; 
planting, weeding, cutting, drying, fuel, boxes, and packin I have 
ol 
bunch dried. Now after deducting the above we have a clear profit for 
the grower of $2 19c. (about 8s.) for every bunch of fruit produced, 
fine price has, I think, ph been equalled in Trinidad f 
bananas and should encourage growers of m fruit to enter UT into 
the matter and improve vade drj iment. Not to do so would be 
to confirm his Excellency the Governor’s beds in the openi prts 
at our late exhibition * that the want of interest in a fruit trade was 
suicidal." 
I do not desire to set up as a teacher, but facts and figures speak for 
themselves. The account s is not an approximate one, but the 
money has been received, and the Canadians are asking for more at 
the same price. An order is now on hand for 2 ewt. for London at 
6d. per lb. in bulk, the consignee doing the retail packing and advertising. 
As the fruit is something new it is being sought after, and ail that 
can be dried is being profitably disposed of. I may add ‘that the fruit- 
drier does its work well, turning out the fruit in an uniform colour 
Attention must be paid to this and also that fruit as nearly as possible 
of one size only be dried, as this facilitates packing. Small ones can 
used for stick, &e.; 12 good-sized fruits weigh one pound, 
Gros Michel bananas dry best and give the best result. Governor 
bananas take second place; the other varieties are iot suitable. I 
state this from experiments with them a 
in a measure the foregoing will aid to dispel the doubts and 
i 00,000 b 
tributed in Trinidad and raps d from the depót during the past two 
