EDITED AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE AND THE BOARD OF TRADE REFERENCE TO PREVIOUS REPORT, Annual Series No. 4345. Presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of His Majesty, LONDON: PRINTED FOR HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE, PRINTERS IN ORDINARY TO HIS LATE MAJESTY. And to be purchased, either directly or through any Bookseller, from A sketch map of the Consular district of Surinam is prefixed to this report. It will be seen that the only place of any importance is Paramaribo, the other towns being in reality small villages. Language.-Dutch is the official language, but a large proportion of the population, especially in the towns, understand and speak English. The older Surinam blacks speak the so-called "Neger-english" or "Taki-taki.” Weights and measures.-The metric system is generally in use; but locally the Flemish ell (274 inches), and Rhinlands foot (12 inches). In this report, a ton, except when otherwise stated, equals 1,000 kilos. (2,204 lbs.). Exchange.-12fl. at par equal 17. Reference to previous Report, Annual Series No. 4345. Report on the Trade, Commerce and Agriculture of Surinam, Dutch Guiana, for the Year 1909 By MR. CONSUL J. R. W. PIGOTT. Agriculture. Bananas.-The cultivation of bananas for export, as has been stated in former reports, was commenced in 1906, when an agreement was entered into between the Colonial Government and the United Fruit Company of Boston, United States of America, by which it was arranged that 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) of bananas should be planted, under Government supervision and with Government aid, within three years, and that the company should buy all the fruit produced, up to a fixed standard, at fixed rates. Up to the present some 3,360 hectares (8,300 acres) have been planted with the so-called Gros Michel variety. This has been attacked with a disease called the Panama disease, which has caused very great damage and loss; it is now intended to replace these with the Congo variety, which is believed to be immune to the disease. A supply of Congo plants has been obtained from abroad by the Fruit Company, and these are being propagated; it is hoped that by the end of the year (1910) some 1,000 hectares (2,470 acres) will have been re-planted with them; there will then soon be sufficient plants for the remaining area.* Cocoa. There was, during the year, some improvement in this industry, though it is still very far from being what it should be. The treatment referred to in former reports against the Krulloto disease still shows satisfactory results, and has been and is being applied to Since the above was written information has been received from His Majesty's Consul that the Congo plants on a few plantations have also been attacked by the Panama disease. (420) A 2 |