PBEFACE. 



THE reader may possibly remember among the charming " Essays 

 of Elia " one entitled " A Dissertation on roast Pig," in which the 

 writer, with true epicurean zest, insists upon its preferred claims. 

 Whether the reader's taste be in exact accord with that of the 

 essayist, it may not be easy to determine; but who can fail of 

 being delighted with his treatment of the subject? It is with 

 some such feeling of enthusiastic interest that the present volume 

 has been prepared, and in a similar spirit it is now submitted to 

 the candor of the reader. If occasion for enthusiasm is found in 

 discussing the merits of roasted pig, surely very much stronger is 

 the argument in behalf of roasted Coffee. 



Having from his earliest business associations been personally 

 connected with the Coffee-trade, the writer has always been greatly 

 interested in collecting anything relating to the history, cultiva- 

 tion, or uses of this great staple. Long impressed with the idea 

 that the mass of statistical figures that accumulate from day to 

 day, in the many circulars and market reports received by those 

 engaged in the importation and sale of coffee, tend rather to con- 

 fuse and detract from the importance of this constantly increasing 

 branch of commerce, the following pages are intended to give 

 such general information as may perhaps interest not only those 

 who are familiar with the business, but also that multitudinous 

 class to whom coffee now has become an indispensable beverage; 



