Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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F you did not eat three dozen bananas last . nr, you did not have your share. Over 40,000, 000 bunches, or more than 3,000,000,000 bananas, were im ported into the United States in 1910. The immensity of this shipment can be more readily grasped by the statement that it would coyer an area 20 feet wide, reaching from New York to San Francisco, or, placed end to end, would extend thirteen times around the earth at the equator. The "slip" in the peels would launch th?! ships of the world. The wholesale value of the 1910 importation, at point of export, was over $12,500,000, while in all probability the con suming public of the United States expended over $35,000,000 for this delectable fruit During the past ten years the number of bananas consumed in the United States has more than doubled, and the increased tropical acreage under cultivation assures even more startling figures for the, next decade. Many European countries are importing large quanti ties of bananas; last year Great Britain con sumed over $8,000,000 worth, Germany, over $1,000,000, and France, $500,000. With the world's decreasing food supply, and the wheat crop at a standstill, the banana comes forward as an important factor in saving the day. One acre with little labor will annually produce 17,000 pounds of bananas, or more than one and one-third times as much food substance as an acre of corn, two and onti-third times as much as oats, almost three times as much per acre as wheat and potatoes, and four times as much as rye. The chemical composition of ba nanas and potatoes is almost identical. Forty years ago there were very few people In this country who could toast of having seen a bunch of bananas. The irait was practically un known. Now, in even the most remote country store, this "pride of the tropics" is a familiar sight ' Despite the fact that millions of bunches are consumed, they belong almost wholly to one member of the family, the common yellow Guineo. Scientists have recognized and classified as many as 40 different species, ranging from the ornamental groups that do not develop fruit, to the giant bananas, the Pl?tano of the Spaniards. The red banana is not common in the Ameri can markets. In the United State* il is used only to "dress" fancy baskets of fruit, but in the tropical countries it is quite a favorite. The Individual banana is large, but the stalk does not carry as many "hands" as the yellow varie ties, so as it does not bring as large a price to the grower and wholesaler, its extensive cultiva tion is not encouraged. Banana culture is one of the oldest of indus tries. It has been known since the origin of the human race. Long before the dawn of his tory in the old world, perhaps long before the old world rose from the waters, man lived on the fruit of the Musas. The banana was gen erally considered a native of southern Asia, and to have been carried into America by Europeans, until Humboldt threw doubt upon its purely Asiatic origin, quoting early authors who asserted that the banana was cultivated in America long before the conquest. It is claimed that at the time of the Incas in Peru, bananas formed one of the staple foods of the natives of the warm and temperate regions of the Montana. In spite of the uncertainty as to just which country may claim the fruit as indigenous, all tropical lands assert their right to lt. The first importation of bananas to the United States occurred in 1804, when the schooner Reynard, on a voyage from Cuba, brought into New York, as a commercial ven ture, a consignment of 30 bunches; but the real beginning of the trade dates back to 1866, when Mr. Charles Frank undertook the im portation of fruit from Colon to New York. Previous to that venture small cargoes con sisting mainly of the red banana had been re ceived at irregular intervals from Cuba. In 1870, Captain Baker, an owner of a Cape Cod schooner, took a charter to carry gold miners and machinery 300 miles up the Orinoco river In Venezuela. After discharging his cargo, Captain Baker ran into Jamaica to secure some cocoanuts as ballast to New York, carry ing a few bunches of bananas on the deck as an experiment. The result promised a great future for the industry on that isiand, which has been fulfilled, the exports last year reach ing $4,000,000. On the American continent, bananas are suc cessfully grown through 50 degrees of latitude, from Tampico, Mexico, 25 degrees north, to Asuncion in Paraguay, in the Tropic of Capri corn, 25 degrees south-a belt over 3,000 miles in width. Cultivation of the fruit is practical Sunday Observed People of the Flowery Kingdom Will Keep Holy, the First Day of th? Week. of weste to make move is termin?t: day of rt promptin China is showing signs of exceeding even the speed attained by Japan, when once started on the way from medievalism to modernism. The j liglous, t Flowery Kingdom, which, during flclal. S many centuries, has existed unto it- rest com self, is awakening to the advantages ] on sciant ly restricted to the eastern coast line, for the banana is one of the thirstiest of plants, and cannot be expected to produce its maximum amount of fruit in districts where there are less than 100 inches of annual rainfall. Un fortunately for humanity, great areas of the land lying within this belt are high, dry and sterile, while others are sandy or rocky, so only a small fraction is so located that banana growing can be made profitable. The altitude must not invite danger of frost, and high tem perature is necessary for the growth. The southern coast of the Mexican gulf, the Puerto Barrios section of Guatemala, the Puerto Cortes district of Honduras, the Puerto Limon district of Costa Rica, the Blueflelds district of Nicaragua, the Bocas del Torro region of Pan ama, the Colombian province of Santa Marta, and certain portions of Cuba, Jamaica, the Do minican Republic, Haiti and Dutch Guiana, all combine the favored elements of soil and cli mate. The plan* has two natural enemies-the gopher and the wind storm-but against al most all other tropical conditions its hardi hood is remarkable. It is a matter of common observation that the banana is absolutely seedless, cultivation through innumerable generations having led to a vi etable method of propagation. Some of the primitive seed-bearing varieties are still said to exist in isolated regions of the far east. The first step toward cultivation is the clear ing of the land. Into the tangle of shrubs and vines and the thick snarl of tropical vegeta tion the laborer comes with an ax and "machete" and cuts low everything but the giant trees. When all of the small timber and brush has been felled planting is commenced. Young shoots are obtained from a planta tion already in bearing and these are placed in rows about 12 feet apart. When the planting is finished, the only labor necessary is to keep in China rn civilization,and is hastening up for lost time. Its latest embodied In an official de Ion to observe Sunday as a ?st. While the considerations g this step, may not be re he result is sure to be ben? ix days o: work to one of ?titute proportions justifiable ;iflc grounds, and furthermore will help to put C the rest of the cl importance of th< following one anc the extent to whi may be appr?ci?t sldered that until tion outsiders, in part of China, we There were no ra position to perm: of any or to encc already tested by tice. China not down the weeds and care fully clean the ground about the the root of t-?ch stalk. The banana plant will grow with wonderful rap idity under favorable cir cumstances. In fact, the development from a new ly planted sucker to the plant in full bearing is simply short of marvel ous. Within a space of six or seven weeks the two or three foot plant has more than doubled in size, and a month or so later the leaves cease to unfold and a spike ap pears out of the center of tho crown. This is the fu ture stalk of the bunch and carries a huge red blossom at the end. It develops rapidly, continually bending more and more until in a short time it has turned com pletely upon itself, so that the bananas grow end up or in a poeltton the reverse of which they are usually hung. From seven to twelve months after the blossom appears the fruit is ready for the gatherer. At irregular inter vals along the entire stalk, and only extending part of the way round at any one place, the bracts break forth tiny ridges of flowers which are almost immediately replaced by nine to twelve embryo bananas. These are the future "hands" of the bunch, so called on account of their resemblance to those mem bers when held In a certain position. The banana has a curious and prodigal meth od of propagation, for before the parent stalk and fruit have matured new ones spring up. These are offshoots that grow from the root of the original planting, resembling sprouts from the "eyes" of a potato, and each in turn be comes a parent stalk with its fruit It follows that unless most of the continually appearing new plants are cut out (which is the practice) the first stalk in a few years will become the center of a miniature jungle. The plants grow to a height of from fifteen to thirty-five feet, spreading in all directions, until the soil is overburdened with an enormous mass of stalk and leaf growth, and stunted fruit is produced. In planting for the market about 200 hills are allowed to the acre. Sometimes the number can be safely Increased to 225, in which case lhere will be 500 stalks. However, after one year all of these stalks do not produce a mar ketable bunch of bananas, and the average yield is not over 300 full bunches to the acre per annum. Perry, the well-known authority on bananas, estimates that a grower can produce a bunch for from ten to fifteen cents, which will have a market value of 30 cents. The cost of pro ducing after the first crop ls confined to culti vating and harvesting, which may be done for hina in accord with vlllzed world. The ? re'forms that are )ther in China and ch they are radical ed when it is con the present genera practlcally every re "foreign devils." ilroads, and no dls It the constructlo; lurage anything noi centuries of prac only haa railways now, but is building mon in prospect a network of Ur Iron the empire. It has a ] a constitution and a cabin acquisitions of a decade. Cl destined in a very short wb a much more important po is now occupies in world ? Volunteer Cooks. On a camping trip of you two of the girls volunteei breakfast the first morning from $10 to $20 per acre yearly. The net profit, however, averages about $50 per acre in the various banana producing sections. The banana often grows in combination with other products. In some cases it is used as a shade for young coffee plants. A great many people are of the opinion that the banana would be much better if it was al lowed lo ripen on the plant, but this is not the case. Such fruit is strong in flavor, does not mature to perfection, and the skin breaks, at tracting numerous insects, while the weight of the bunch itself becomes too great for the plant, either one or both coming to the ground. The buuches are cut when the fruit is one-half to three-quarters matured, though still green and as hard as nails. It continues to feed from the cut stalk, which contains a great amount of sap, until fully ripe. Should the cutting occur too soon, however, the fruit, although turning yellow, will never attain the perfect flavor. With the cutting of the bunch ends the life of the plant, for it bears but once and is usual ly cut down to obtain the fruit, or succumbs a few days later to the cleaning process, which is merely the bringing of a spent piece to the ground. Cutting the fruit itself involves the only careful labor on the banana plantation, as the bunches weigh from fifty to sixty pounds, and even slight knocks are followed by bruised spots, under which the fruit quickly ripens and ' decays. However, by the liberal use of dried banana leaves the fruit is safely brought to the railroads. Bananas grown for the market are planted, as a rule, on the border of navigable waters Plantations are divided into sections or zones of about ten to twenty miles in length, and the zones are "cut" in rotation, thereby cleaning up the available supply of fruit in one or several sections while it is maturing in others. In Costa Rica the system which has been evolved for handling the fruit from the time it is cut from the plant until it is placed on the dealer's little stand in the far interior cities of the United States is indeed marvelous. When a steamer starts from a United States port to secure its cargo a cable is sent advising of the departure, so that preparations can be made for cutting the crop. The carrying ca pacity of the vessel is known almost to a bunch. Each plantation manager furnishes at the be ginning of the week an estimate of the amount of fruit he can cut, and one, two, or three sec tions may be called upon, according to the size of the ship and the quantity of fruit available in each section. About thirty-six hours previ ous to the expected arrival of the steamship or ders are sent to the plantations, notifying them to cut fruit for delivery on a specific date. The day before the steamer is due trains are made up and sent out to pick up the fruit, these trains being so timed that steamers will not be delayed waiting for cargo. On the morning of the cutting, the plantation is all astir. First out are the "cutters," who go up and down the long avenues of banana plants, closely inspecting each hanging bunch. In cutting the fruit long lances are used, palm poles armed with broad steel bladeB. The stalk of the tall plant ls half severed at a point about eight feet above the ground. The weight of the fruit causes the top of the plant to bend slowly to the earth, where the bunch is cut from the stem by a stroke of the machete. Following " the cutters come the plcking-up gangs, who de liver the fruit at the receiving platforms along the railroad track. An Inspector watches the fruit as lt is passed into the cars. He counts and grades each bunch, rejecting those that show signs of ripening and thoso that are un dersized or bruised. After cargoes are discharged in the United States, solid trains of banana cars run as "spe cials" every day in the week from New York, Baltimore and New Orleans to all of the large cities of the country. Carloads are even shipped to Calgary, Canada, over 2,000 milos from New Orleans. The front ventilators of the forward cars of these trains, and the rear ventilators of the last cars, are connected by means of canvas tubes run into a main trunk chute. A powerful exhaust draws off the heat thrown out by the fruit In Its ripening process, and the fans cir culate cold air through every car in the train. During the winter months the operation ls re versed, and fruit in transit during very cold weather is warmed while proceeding to its destination. rest of the party went off to find a spring. When the searchers returned with tho water, they found nothing ready but the coffee, which, being in temperature-retaining bottles, re quired no preparation. "Where's the bacon?" asked one of the men. "Didn't the fire burn well enough?" "The fire's all right," said the would-be cook, "but we'd like to know how you expected us to fry bacon without any lard?"-Llppincott's Mag azine. OR SAYS HE FS. De Quiz-Why is a good actor like a set of brains? De Witt-Because he ls a head liner. LAWYER CURED OF ECZEMA "While attending school at Lebanon, Ohio, in 1882, I became afflicted with boils, which lasted for about two years, when the affliction assumed the form of an eczema on my face, the lower part of my face being inflamed most of the time. There would be water-blisters rise up and open, and wherever the water would touch it would burn, and cause another one to rise. After the blister would open, the place would scab over, and would burn and Itch so as to be almost un bearable at times. In this way the sores would spread from one place to another, back and forth over the whole of my upper lip and chin, and at times the whole lower part of my face would be a solid sore. This con dition continued for four or five years, without getting any better, and in fact got worse all the time, so much so that my wife became alarmed lest it prove fatal. "During all this time of boils and eczema, I doctored with the best phy sicians of this part of the country, but to no avail. Finally I decided to try Cuticura Remedies, which I did, tak ing the Cuticura Resolvent, applying the Cuticura Ointment to the sores, and using the Cuticura Soap for wash ing. In a very short time I began to notice improvement, and continued to use the Cuticura Remedies until I was well again, and have not had a re currence of the trouble since, which is over twenty years. I haver recom mended Cuticura Remedies to others ever since, and have great faith in them as remedies for skin diseases." (Signed) A. C. Brandon, Attorney-at Law. Greenville, O., Jan. 17, 1911. Although Cuticura Soap and Oint ment are sold everywhere, a sample of each, with 32-page book, will be mailed free on application to "Cuti cura," Dept. 3 K, Boston. Tuberculosis Patients Neglected. Out of more than 225 public hos pitals for the insane, with a popula tion of fully 150,000,'only 70, or'less than one-third, make any provision for their tuberculous inmates, ? and this, too, in spite of the fact that the percentage of deaths from this disease is very high among this class of peo ple. Such is the substance of a state ment made recently by the National Association for the Study and Preven tion of Tuberculosis. Seventy hos pitals in 28 states, providing all told about 3,350 beds for tuberculosis in sane patients, sums up the provision made for this class of sufferers, al though the percentage of deaths from tuberculosis among the insane ranges from 50 to 200 per cent, higher than among'the general population. HEADACHE AND BILIOUS ATTACKS Caused by Malaria removed by the use ot Elixir Babek cure for such ailments. "I have used Elixir Bnbek in my fam ily 'or sixteen years and found lt even more than you claim for it in treating: cases of Chills or Malarial Fevers. One member of our family was cured of Malarial Fever by it when given up to die by physicians.-J. F. Oberlet. Vien na, Va. Elixir Babek 50 cents, all drug gists or Kloczewski & Co., Washington. D. C. The Real Thing. "Say, mister, if you throw three cents up in the air I kin ketch 'em all before they come down every time." "Humph! That is nothing but a catch-penny scheme." SHAKE INTO YOUR SHOES Allen's Foot-Ease, tba antlseptio powder. It's tba g-ro a teat comfort discovery of tba ago. Allen's Foot Hase makes tight or new shoos feel easy. It ls a certain relief for sweating, callous, swollen, tired, aching feet. Always use it to Break in New shoes. Try lt today. Sold everywhere, 25 cents. Don't accept any tubttitute. For FRBQ trial package, address Allen S. Olmsted, Le Boy, N. T. Faces Included. Howell-He has a weather-beaten face. Powell-Well, the weather beats everything. For COLDS and GRIP Hicks* CAPUDUJE ls the best remedy-re lieves the aching and feverishness-cures the Cold and restores normal conditions. It's liquid-effects immediately. 10c., 26c., and 50c At drug stores. A Thirst for Information. "Say, pa?" "What is it?" "Who made the after-dinner, speeches at Belshazzar's feast?" t Stomach Blood a Liver ?J Much sickness starts with weak ato,mflC] poor, impoverished blood. Ncrv^us anl good, rich, red blood. Their strfaiachi for, after all, . man can be no st conger A remedy that makes the ?tor?ach 8t, - active, makes rich red blood atjd oven out disease-producing bacteria itnd euri tude of diseases. Cef rid ot roof Stomach Weah Liver Laziness by takit,? a , Dr. Pierce's Golden Me^iea? ? "the ?Peat Stomach Reut or at i lari?oratop and Blood eieat Yon can't afford to accept any medi composition at a substitute for "Gciden cry," which is a medicine OF KNOWN CO, . complete list of ingredients in pk(jn E tie-wrapper, same being attested as co, Dr. Pierce's Pleasant Pellets regulate an(j When Building Chural or reseating same, write for Catalog XS, mer agency proposition. Everything in Bltck-blha AMERICAN SEATING COMPANY, 2^ \ NOT A BRITISH UNIT IN IT Irishman Would Not for a Minute Allow the Possibility of Such a Thing. George Mockler has just returned from an investigation of what coal is costing some of the other cities. He brought this story from Balti more: An Irishman there inherited a coal mine up in the state. He immedi ately entered the lists for one of the big coal contracts and went around to say a good word for his coal. The man who was letting the con tract heard him a moment, and then Interrupted with: "That's all right, but how about British thermal units?" The other, being new to the ccal business, did not know that coal is rated now according to the British thermal units in tests. "Phat's that!" he said. "How many British thermal units are there in your coal?" The Irishman blinked his eye and snorted a blt. "British thermal units is it?" hs said. "Why there ain't wan in it" -St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Young Idea. There are two kinds of joints, the hinges and the ball-bearing. Reflex action is the inside eye and ear. Reflex action controls things that we do not have to think about, as talking. Had we no skin, our clothes would cause us endless agony. The stomach is the trunk of our body. The stomach contans the liver. The stomach is south of the lungs, The stomach is south of the lungs, west of the liver. It has three coats. Without the stomach we should die, therefore God chose the stomach to digest our food.-Woman's Home Com panion. For HEADACHE-Micks? CAPUDINB Whether from Colds, Heat, Stomach or Nervous Troubles, Capudine will relieve yon. It's liquid-pleasant to take-acts immedi ately. Try it. loo., 25c., and 50 cents at drug stores. After a girl has bumped up against a case of unrequited love she begins to dream of a career. Mrs. Winslow's Soothing Syrup for Children teething, softens the (rums, reduces Inflamma tion, allays pain, cures wind colic, 25c a bottle. A live goose is worth more than a dead ancestor. XA??THINE HAIR Restores Gray Hair to Natural Color REMOVES DAXDKl FE A? 8CCBF [n vigora tesand prevents thehairfromfalllngoff tar Bal? bj DracfUt?, ar S?mt DtiMt bj XANTHINE CO., Richmond, Virginia Maa tl Per Bottle; Sui pl? Bo Ul? Sic Scad far eirtnUr. FORK UNION MILITARY ACADEMY FOIS Ii UNION, VIRGINIA DR. WILLIAM E. HATCHER, President A stroDg preparatory school und?rChnstiun I ntluen ees. Dlsclpllneof too hlghcsierado ander an Artur Officer detailed bj tho War D?partaient. Faculty unsurpassed for strength and equipment. Location noted for health. Thorough work tn school room. Careful attention to detail In military duties. All phases of athletics for entertainment when work ls .ver. AU this for ?185.00. For catalogue, address E. 8. LIGON, Headmaster fork Onion. Virginia. KODAKS and High Grade Finishing. Kail orders given Spe cial Attention. Prices reasonable. Service prompt. Send for Price List. LAXXKAt'S AKT STOKE. CILAKLESTO?, 8. C TEACHERS WANTED We need more teachers, men and women, for schools now open. Salaries $30 to $100. Schools supplied with teachers. SOUTHERN TEACHERS' AGENCY, COLUMBIA, 8. C. W. N. U., CHARLOTTE, NO. 34-1911. Charlotte Directory Typewriter Supplies Largest stock of ribbons, carbon, oil and other accessories to be found in the South. Orders filled same day received. J. E. Cray ion & Co.. Charlotte, N. C. A Few Makers Of High-grade Pianos Put great stress on the quality of their product, yet these same pianos, com pared side by side with the great STIBFF SOUND LIKE 80 CENTS. You can't realize there eau be such a vast difference, and in beauty of case design, there's no comparison. CHAS. M. SHEFF, ,-he Piano with th Manufactur 'Sweet Ttl? Southern Wareroom 5 West Trade Street, karlotte - - - - N. C. C. H. WILMOTH, Manager. nd ^roubles i, and consequent i pale-people lack need invigorating than bis stomach, ?ong and the liver somes and drives ss a whole multi ?ess and coane ot Discovery 'vc, hirer teen. icine of unknown Medical Discov ?posiTioN, having nglish on its bot rec: under oath. 1 Invigorate Stomach, Liver ead Bowe!*. i, School or neater itioning class of building. Dealers, write for irds and School Supplies. Ask for Catalog SD. i So. Wabash Avenue, Chicago, III.