311 
British GUIANA. 
The pre orici suggestions respecting the preparation of 
plantain meal are taken from a report gab in 1847 by Dr. Shier on 
the Starch-prod acing Plants of British Guiana. They appeared in the 
“Catalogue of Contributions transmitted icons British Guiana to the 
Paris Uie al Exhibition of 1867," pp. xlviii-li. :— 
“The plantain is sometimes so abundant and cheap that it might, 
if cut and dried in its green state, be exported with advantage. It is 
in this unripe state that it is so largely used by the peasantry of this 
lony as an article of food. It has always been believed to be highly 
nutritive ; but ave not found in any sample of the dried plantain 
which I have analysed a larger amount than ‘81 per cent. of apa 
which corresponds with about 54 per cent. of proteine com 
When dried, and reduced to the state of meal, it cannot, like wheat dodi 
be manufactured into maccaroni or vermicelli, or, at least, the macearoni 
made from it falls to powder when put into hot water. antain 
meal is prepared by stripping off the husk of the plantain, slicing the 
core, and drying it in the sun. When thoroughly dry it is pow wdered 
and sifted. It is known among the Creoles of the Colony under the 
fr 
food of infants and invalids. In respect to nutritiveness, it deserves a 
preference over all the pure starches on account of the proteine compounds 
it contains. The plantain meal would probably be best and freshest 
were the sliced and dried plantain cores exported, ee ir iru 
and sifting to be done in Europe. e flavour of t epen 
on the rapidity with which the slices are dried, hence the 
"pniion is only fitted for dry weather, unless, indeed, when there was 
ccasion for it, recourse were had to a kiln or stove. Above all, the 
filled bunches give 60 per cent. of core to 40 of husk and top-stem ; but 
in general it would be found that the core did not much exceed 50 per 
cent., and the fresh core will yield 40 per cent. of dry rud so that 
from 20 to 25 per cent. of meal is obtained from the plantain, or 5 Ibs. 
om average bunch of 25 lbs., and an acre of planta in "wall of 
average qua ity seen during the year 450 such bunches, would 
yield a ton an bs. of meal. Even supposing the meal not to 
command over half A price of arrowroot, it would still form an excellent 
outlet for plantains whenever, from any cause, the price in the Colony 
sank unusually low.” 
UNITED STATES. 
During the year 1892 it is stated that nearly 13 million bunches of 
ripe bananas were prs dg into the United States. Each bunch usually 
consists of 80 to 200 bananas, and weighs from 30 to 90 pounds. 
Bananas were received principally at New Or leans, New York, 
Philadelphia, id Boston, each of which imported not less than two 
million bunches. It is said that these enormous figures are likely to be 
exceeded in later years. The banana is grown for export chiefly at 
Jamaica, Cuba, Nicaragua, United States of Colombia, Honduras, and 
osta Rica. ‘The value of fruit exported from Jamaica in 1891 (chiefly 
to the United States) amounted to 531,7262. 
