200 RAW OR GREEN COFFEES. 



in transit. All " bilge-water " or otherwise damaged coffee 

 being picked over, the musty beans set aside, milled or 

 cleaned, rematted or rebagged as the case may be, and 

 eventually sold as sound, but which no process of roast- 

 ing or glazing can eradicate. But while almost all varie- 

 ties pass through more or less manipulation or substitu- 

 tion, from the producing to the consuming countries, it 

 does not always follow that it is detrimental to the coffee. 



Rios Are most subject to sophistication by altering the 

 color from light to green and dark to meet the demand 

 for each particular kind, the light Rios being converted 

 into dark by the application of a preparation of " bone 

 black," and into yellow or golden by the use of chromate 

 of lead, or into green by a combination composed of 

 both compounds. This dangerous and iniquitous prac- 

 tice is resorted to in order to cater to the prejudices of 

 dealers and consumers in the different sections of the 

 country for "Light," "Dark," "Green" and "Golden 

 Rios," as the case maybe. The cosmetic is best detected 

 by the simple process of washing in a little warm water 

 and rubbing with a dry towel, exposing the natural color 

 of the bean, whatever the original may be, or by cutting 

 the bean in half and seeing if the color runs through. 



Maracaibos In the raw or natural state are princi- 

 pally substituted with large, white-bean Santos, Savanilla, 

 San Domingo, Mexican, Salvador or other Central Ameri- 

 can coffees as well as by transferring the lower into high- 

 grade bags. While La Guayras are usually polished or 

 " soapstoned," and converted into Rios when the finer 

 grades of the latter are scarce or high. 



