These Are "Banana Figs"

Description of an Industry of Interest to Pacific Planters

QUR Western Samoa correspondent

stated in the April issue of “PIM” that “banana figs” are being manufactured in the Territory. He did not. however, describe the nature

of the “figs.”

We have now received a letter from Mr. C. Cooke, of 5 Clement Street, Guildford, NSW, who has kindly sup plied a description of the figs, which should be of interest in all banana growing Pacific Territories. Mr. Cooke states that he will be pleased to

supply any - further information should

it be required.

FROM 1927 to 1931 (writes Mr. Cooke) I was managing a banana plan tation in Central America for the United Fruit Company. We shipped our bananas to the States by the bunch, and nothing less than a seven-hand bunch was acceptable, which left many fine five and six hand bunches going to waste.

These were allowed to ripen; then each banana was split in two. placed on a tray and covered with icing-sugar.

They were then allowed to dry in the sun for four days (later on, we used a hot-air dryer, which did the job in from 10 to 12 hours).

The bananas, when dried, were about one-third of their original length, and lost their characteristics banana flavour.

Although, of course, minus the seeds, they otherwise tasted like dried figs.

The finished product was packed in small wooden boxes, each box containing about 18 “figs.”