492 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[fANUART I, 1884. 



of America; the secouil, that the greater part of the better 

 (qualities of the Rio and Santo coffees, is often sokl iu 

 Kiu'ope luidor other appellation s. Yet the total of the fine 

 sorts of cotfcc iu Brazil, exceeds that of the fine qualities 

 of any other of the producing countries. Both for the 

 exports and imports the cyphers of the Brazilian coffeea 

 in the seaports arc no doubt correct; these cy^jhers undergo 

 a good deal of raodiiication on changing of hands for the 

 first time ; but directly the retail business commences, not 

 a quarter of the original names of Brazilian coffee is found 

 back that was exported from South America. 



But quite lately I saw at Paris, in several shops, large 

 samples of superior coif ee, ticketed with the names of tho 

 most celebrated sorts of coffee ; it was not difficult to point 

 out the true source of those magnificent samples, and even 

 to pitch upon the very Frovinco of Brazil, whence this 

 coifee derived. But not oidy in Europe do we see this 

 phenomenon of competition by substitution. On occasion 

 of the Continental Exhibition in Buenos Ayres, ii*:S2, a great 

 number of sorts of cotfeo could be seen announced in all 

 the Chandlers' shops as Yungas, Bolivia and Mocha, as also 

 Java and Oeylou, to the Haiti and Brazilian coffees. The 

 prices ranged from 25 pesos downwards to 10 jjesos per 

 K. G. (= 2i to 1 guilder). We need not add that the Brazil 

 coffees were at the lowest price (10 pesos), an<l yet it could 

 easily be proved by the 70 samples which Brazil sent to 

 that Exhibition, that almost all those coffees, from the Mocha 

 to the .Tacmcl, were of Brazilian growth. 



As to the coffees of Central America we may affirm, 

 that though wc will by no means deny the eminent qualities 

 of these coffees, so well-known and so much liked on the 

 world-markets, yet it is generally conceded that the prepar- 

 ing in those parts is not done with the same care as in 

 Brazil, an<l that the co.sting prices cannot by far contend 

 with the South-American. And as we arc only concerned 

 with the truth, we thiidc wo may declare that not a little 

 Brazilian coif ee is sold under the specious names of Laguara, 

 Guatemala, Costa Kica, Martinique, etc. 



"With regard to the coft'ee of Java, it is indisputable 

 that this is one of the best in quality, and appears on 

 the prices-current as one of the most reputed sorts. Brazil 

 acknowledges this superiority, feels not in the least mortified 

 iff it, she is rather pleased at it, suice a good dead of Brazil 

 coffee is sold for Javacoft'ee, especially in North America; 

 Brazil, instead of complaining of a fact, (which for the 

 matter of that occurs so frequently in commerce), does her 

 best to improve her product more and more, hoping that 

 a time may come, if such is possible, when ffood Java will 

 be sold uniler the Brazilian mark. And if we would only 

 hold to tho true qualities, as is after all the right way, 

 and not to the outward appearance of the article, that is 

 to say, if we would juilge by the true standard of tho 

 beverage, then it must be acknowledged that infinitely 

 nicer coffee- is drunk in Brazil, than any where in Holland. 

 The coffee they give you to drink in Amsterdam, Kotterdam 

 and the Hague, cannot in any respect be compared with 

 what is poured out to you at Eio Janeiro, Santon and 

 San Paolo. On this subject the writer of the work: "X« 

 pays ch Cafe," Paris, 1882, says: — 



"On our travels to Rio de Janeiro, last summer, we 

 tasted in that town the most fragrant and tonic coffees 

 that we ever tasted in our lives. The smallest restuurani^ 

 in that capital of Brazil served us alway.s to coffee of a 

 better quality than you get in the greatest establishments 

 in France. And as to tlie coffees, which we had the honour 

 to be treated to by tlie great planters themselves, no 

 coffee in the world is to be compared to them. 



Lately tluring our two months' stay in Holland, we have 

 gained the experience that the coffee drunken there is 

 not much bettiu' tlian what is drunk in the great establish- 

 ments in Kraiice. Thus while acknowledging the .superior 

 quality of the Java-coffees, we must yet maintain, that 

 Brazil also exi)orts splendid cort'ee in great (|nantities, 

 thougli 1 concede that the majority -of Brazilian coffees 

 do not come up to the same standard. 



Now what regards the earthy t-aste, or rather the smell 

 generally found in the Brazilian coffee, this will t'.isappear 

 more and more, thimks to the adoption of drying trays 

 of plaster, of cement, and stone or brick; these are so 

 abundantly to be had in South America, that Brazil could 

 now easily export suificieut coff'ee for the cousnm])tion 

 pf tho world, entirely free from the objectionable smell 



or flavour. In a few years this extraneous flavour wiU dis- 

 appear altogether, thanks to the almost general discard- 

 ing of earthern drying-pans, and the drjing-pans impro- 

 vised on the plantations during the gathering of the crop. 

 Then the Brazil-coffee will be entitled, besides its aromatic 

 flavour and genuine qualities to boast of its strength and 

 tonic virtrres, such as no other coffee can present in the 

 same degree, and which will stamp this coffee as tho most 

 proper to supercede alcohoUc drinks; i.e. to fulfil the highest 

 and most useful purpose that mankind can expect from 

 this beverage. 



The argument by which it is shown that the propaganda 

 for coffee iu Russia will only redound to the profit of 

 Brazil and her ordinary coffees, while it is affirmed that 

 the Java-coffee has more than a sufficient and certain dchouchc, 

 seems to us rather futile and unconvincing. At any rate 

 this argument is too restricted in sense, with reference to 

 the movement set on foot in Brazil to extend the use of 

 coffee as a beverage; a movement, as broad, open and 

 generous as tho proverbial South American hospitaUty, 

 Brazil makes propaganda for coffee. The different sorts 

 will recommend themselves on their own deserts, and no 

 doubt the best products will be the most in demand and 

 bear oft" tho highest prices. If Brazil succeeds in opening 

 markets for her coffees in Russia, and further extending 

 its already great dibouchi' in North America, do not then, 

 as a matter of course, the other markets become freer for 

 the Java coft'ees and other aristocratical sortsi^ 



Not till ten or fifteen years hence shall we be able to 

 ascertain whether the propaganda for coffee has effected 

 anything, or not. Brazil wiU go on pertinaciously whether 

 other countries co-operate or not. In the first place, Brazil 

 wishes to gain consumers for the very probable and still 

 augmenting increase of production, and iu the second place, 

 to bo better covered against the disparity in the article 

 itself, which, though of a transient nature, may possibly 

 arise in the different markets, by an excess of supply over 

 demand. It is desu'able to aim at obtaining at least a 

 constant maintenance of the present prices at least, and 

 if possible a gradual rising of 10 a 20 per cent, which would 

 completely satisfy the interests of the Brazilian planter. 

 Can the same be said with respect to the .Tavan and other 

 coffees? We have reason to doubt it. It is very true 

 that Java is possessed of a certain dibouclw for her coffees, 

 but does not Holland think of the possibility of a great 

 extension of production, when probabh- the present labour- 

 ing system in the Dutch Colonies shall have been modified, 

 a system uufavoiu-aVtle to liberty and the improvement of 

 the culture? The higher position that Brazil occupies 

 herein, is in om- opinion, that the improvement of the culture 

 in America tends to the em'ichment of industry, and not 

 as in the Government culture in Java, to the filling of the 

 treasury. No doubt the ancient and nefarious practise must 

 be broken with, of dissembling the truth of the production 

 and general exports, in order not to deter commerce and 

 consumption. It is incontestable that the production in- 

 creases more and more, and specially in South America, 

 hut do not let us be afraid of publishmg the whole truth 

 openly in the great and princijial marts of the world; it' 

 is indeed still more generally acknowledged that the con- 

 sumption increases iu a still greater degree than the pro- 

 duction. The main thing to attend to is — to regulate the 

 stock so as not to break the just projiortion lict-reen supply 

 and demand. The propoi'tion h^twi'^n production and con- 

 sumption has been Iiroken since long, Imt in faimir oj ■ 

 the latter. It must not be forgotten that the effects of 

 the increase of consumption in consequence of the low ' 

 prices since three years, are only as yet partially felt; 

 but very soon this will clearly show itself. We may and 

 must confidently hope so. 



The )iosition is not too bold, that in ten years' time 

 the present exports from Brazil will probably hardly suffice 

 for the consumption in North Amei-ico ; therefore the 

 calculations are pretty securely founded ; but notwithstand- 

 ing this, ]5ra2il is eager to find new dihoaclu.i, for it is 

 also to be expected that, in the stated period, the general 

 production will al.so have greatly increased. The milliard 

 of K. G. or perhaps more, that the production of the 

 world will yield in ]80,'<, forces Brazil to look to Russia 

 for new customers, and, at the same time, not to forget 

 endeavouring to extend their custom on tho existing 

 markets. 



