72 COFFEE. 



Tea was scarcely known in Europe before the middle of the 17tfi 

 century ; but now more than 50,000 tons of shipping are employed in 

 its importation. In 1664, 21bs. 2oz. of it was brought by the East 

 India Company to London for the king j and, in 1666 it was introduced 

 into Europe by the Dutch East India Company and sold for $13 per 

 pound. In 1800 the consumption in Great Britain was 20 million Ibs. 

 which is about the quantity now annually consumed there. The ave- 

 rage consumption by each person would then be about 1 Ib. annually. 

 In 1838 the importations into Great Britain were 32,366,412, and in 

 1840, 40,413,714 Ibs. The average quantity consumed in Ireland is 

 only about half a pound by each person annually. In the United States 

 about 8 millions, in Holland about 3 millions, in Russia 6 or 7 millions 

 and in France 2 millions. The consumption in France has long de- 

 clined, and coffee has been substituted, though it is said to be reviving. 

 The consumption in the United States does not increase with the popu- 

 lation. The average annual imports for six years prior to 1840 was 

 14,500,000 Ibs. The value of the imported teas into this country 

 in 1840 was $5,417,589. 



T. Bohea ; flowers white, with 6 petals ; stem bushy ; branches nu- 

 merous, leafy ; leaves alternate, evergreen, eliptical, oblong, cerrated j 

 anthers and stigrna yellow : resembles the Camellia. E. I. 



COFFEE TREE, Coffeea C. 5, O. 1, Rubiacea, 



sp. 2-28, Et. & Es. 6-20 ft so called from the Arabic 



name of the liquor obtained from the berry, or Caffa 

 from a province of Africa. C. Arabica is an erect 

 low tree with white flowers resembling those of the 

 Jasmine and of a grateful odor. The berries are of 

 a greenish red when grown, and dark when ripe, 

 with two lobes and two seeds, each of the .size of a pea. A decoction 

 of these berries forms the well-known drink Coffee, which is said to 

 have been in use in Ethiopia from a very early period. 



The introduction of coffee, was first into Arabia from Persia about the 

 middle of the 15th century. Its use there as a drink is ascribed to 

 the prior of a monastery who, on being informed that his cattle, browz- 

 ing on this tree, would sometimes wake and caper during the night, 

 concluded to test its virtues on his monks to prevent their sleeping at 

 matins. Others prove its introduction from Persia by a Mufti, of Aden, 

 at the mouth of the Red Sea, who finding that it dissipated fumes of 

 the head, inspired joy, prevented sleep, &.c., recommend its use to his 

 dervices with whom he spent the night in prayer. This ultimately 

 introduced its use, though prohibited by the Syrian government. There 

 is a manuscript in Paris, written by a Sheikh, which proves that coffee 

 was introduced by a Sheikh and scholar, Dhabani, of Arabia Felix, 

 about 870. In Egypt is use was regarded as a religious ceremony. 

 Coffee passed to Mecca, then to Arabia Felix and Cairo, and from thence 

 to Syria and Constantinople in 1554. It was introduced into Venice 



