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The World's Commercial Products 



LIBERIAN COFFEE CULTIVATION IN SURINAM 



stages of development. The gathering of the crop and the treatment of the beans are in such 

 places not restricted to definite seasons — a circumstance which is of no advantage, as the 

 quantity gathered at one time is usually small, and the handling and preparation of the crop 

 is more profitable when large crops are dealt with. It is thus preferable to form plantations 

 in regions where the seasons are sharply distinguished from each other. In Java three 

 gatherings are made annually, called the " early," the " chief," and the " after crop," 

 but only the second, which begins at the commencement of the rainy season, is of great 

 importance. 



* In the coffee-growing districts of Brazil differences in climate have great influence on the 

 time of flowering, the time of harvest, and the quality of the product. Thus, ripening is 

 hastened in the State of Rio de Janeiro, where it is much warmer than in San Paolo, the con- 

 sequence of which is that the crop gathered in Rio is ready for sale at least a month earlier 

 than Santos coffee from San Paolo (April and May), whilst in other districts, such as 

 Braganza and Atibaia, the crop is not ready until October. 



The flower enjoys only a very ephemeral existence as the setting of the fruit generally takes 

 place within twenty-four hours, and the petals wither and fall off almost inmediately. A 

 coffee estate in full flower is a very beautiful sight, but its glory is very soon past and an estate 

 which was a mass of fragrant white blossom one day becomes green again within a compara- 

 tively short time. From the time of blossoming to the ripening of the fruits there is a 

 period of some seven or more months. 



' Picking. It is easy to recognise when coffee fruits are ripe as they are then dark . red, 

 and bear a strong resemblance to ripe cherries. The cherries are readily stripped from the 

 branches by hand, and are collected in bags, baskets, or other convenient receptacles. To 

 obtain the best quality product only the ripe " cherries " are gathered, those which are green 

 and unripe being left on for a later picking. Dry and shrivelled up berries must also be 



