l6o WEST INDIAN COFFEES. 



Native Ceylon, to which coffees it bears a striking resem- 

 blance in character and value. It is put up in large 

 coarse bags, averaging about 200 pounds, and shipped 

 principally to the United States. 



Haytian Coflfees. Coffee is claimed to have been first 

 introduced into this island by wild fowl, being sterioca- 

 ceously deposited there after the manner of Monkey, 

 Jackal and Tiger-cat coffees. Its systematic cultiva- 

 tion was first begun there about 1740 by the French, the 

 industry flourishing during the French regime, but rapidly 

 declining after the island passed under native rule. It is 

 cultivated there now by natives exclusively, principally 

 in the districts of Jeremie, Jacmel and Gonaives, by which 

 terms it is more familiarly known to commerce. They 

 are generally large, flat, white and broken in appearance, 

 invariably stony and stemy, being but crudely cultivated 

 and prepared for market. Yet, notwithstanding these 

 defects, they are elegant roasters, yielding an excellent 

 liquor, full of snap and rich in flavor, but owing to its 

 indifferent treatment its commercial value is reduced far 

 below its intrinsic worth. The coffee itself being mild 

 and pleasant, added to its low price, would commend it 

 to many consumers were it but properly cleaned and 

 graded. Usually all of it received into this country is 

 reshipped to France, Belgium and Germany, where it is 

 picked over by hand, the consumers in these countries 

 not being as exacting as regards cleaning and grading as 

 in this country. The production of coffee in Hayti has 

 fallen from over 80,000,000 pounds in 1789 to less than 

 50,000,000 at the present time, although the island offers 

 an excellent and extensive field for the industry, which, 

 it is hoped, will be taken advantage of as soon as the 

 country devotes its energies more closely to the improve- 

 ment of its internal affairs ai;id the encouragement of capital. 



