THE STORY OF THE BANANA. 
3 
Bananas were first imported commercially in small quantities into 
England from Madeira in 1878 and from the Canary Islands in 1882, 
but were regarded as exotic rarities. In 1901 banana shipments by 
steamer from Jamaica to Great Britain were started by Elders <fe 
Fyffes (Ltd.). Although refrigerator ships were used the venture 
was not successful until the following year, when the United Fruit 
Co. began to supply that company with bananas from Jamaica and 
Costa Rica specially selected for the British market. 
The history of the banana trade is one of the romances of business. 
From small beginnings, hardly more than a generation ago, it has 
developed into an industry of great size and economic importance. 
Moreover, it is unique in its economic aspects since it involves a 
highly specialized system of production in widely separated tropical 
localities, the maintenance of adequate, expensive, and carefully con¬ 
trolled means of rail and water transportation, and highly organized 
distributing agencies in the countries to which the fruit is sent. 
PRINCIPAL SPECIES. 
The banana belongs to the family Musa and is one of the most 
important and interesting of all food products. Grown on an equal 
acreage, it will support a larger number of persons than wheat. 
There are many species of the plant, but the most important com¬ 
mercially are: First, Musa sapientum —Fruit of knowledge—deriving 
its name from the belief that the ancient sages of India reposed in the 
shade of the banana tree and refreshed themselves with the fruit 
thereof—formerly thought to be a distinct family, but now known to 
be a species which is found growing in the West Indies and on the 
American mainland from the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capri¬ 
corn; second, Musa cavendishii (Chinese or dwarf variety), found in 
the Canary Island^, on the African mainland, in portions of Asia, and 
in the islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans; and third, Musa para- 
disiaca —Fruit of paradise—deriving its name from the legend that 
the banana tree grew and flourished in the Garden of Eden and was 
the tree of the source of good and evil. This last variety is known 
as the plantain, which is found throughout all the regions named 
and which is eaten only when cooked. 
There are a number of varieties of the Musa sapientum , the most 
common being known as Gros Michel (“Great Michael”), which is 
the principal banana of commerce, and growls to the best advantage 
in low alluvial plains. In the ripening process, the skin of the Gros 
Michel assumes a beautiful yellow color. It is this particular variety 
which is dealt with throughout this booklet. Another variety of 
the Musa sapientum, is the “claret” or “red” hanana (deriving its 
name from the color of its skin), which is found in Central America 
and the West Indies. This banana is also known as Baracoa, Red 
