COFFEE. COTTON. 267 



do not produce fine cacao, as Trinidad has conclusively proved. 

 The differential duty drives the best cacao out of the English 

 market." This is, however, but one of the favourite free-trade 

 hobbies, by which its advocates profess to account for all commercial 

 grievances past, present, and future ; and whose sophistries distil 

 with such a balm-like influence into the ears of the people, as 

 apparently to exempt even a scientific man, as in the present 

 instance, from a further examination of complex questions. 



No, indeed it is not our fault, but that of the British public, 

 if we send them "unripe, flinty and bitter cocoa;" because this 

 is the article they demand, and because it answers their purposes 

 better than fine Caracas, for which, besides, they would have to 

 pay at the rate of 16 dollars or 20 dollars whereas they can pur- 

 chase the Trinidad cacao for only 9 or 11 dollars. 



COFFEE (Ooffea Arabica). As Trinidad has never exported 

 much coffee, that which is grown in the island has no repute. 

 Nevertheless, very good coffee might be produced here, and in 

 abundance ; it might even be cultivated on hilly parts. The 

 bois immortel is planted along with the coffee to afford its pro- 

 tection of shade ; though the latter has, in some cases, been known 

 to thrive sufficiently well, within the intervals of the cacao ranges. 

 The quantity exported, in 1853, was 64,115 pounds; but the 

 greater part of this was coffee from the main-land the island 

 producing, generally, only a sufficient quantity for home con- 

 sumption. The price varies from 7^ cents to 12 J cents per Ib. 

 The cultivation of coffee may be carried on without much 

 expense, but a large number of hands becomes necessary for the 

 gathering in of the berries, and their preparation. The berries 

 are first slightly bruised, so as to separate the seed from the soft 

 outer husk ; they are afterwards washed, and then dried, when it 

 becomes necessary to pass them through a mill to be winnowed 

 from the inner husk or parchment, before being packed for 

 exportation. These are operations too numerous and expensive 

 to leave a hope for the extension of coffee cultivation in Trinidad 

 at least, with its present scanty population. The Asiatic islands 

 and Brazil will, therefore, probably long enjoy the privilege they 

 have gained of supplying the markets of the world with coffee. 



Cotton (Grossypium herbaceum). Cotton was once extensively 

 cultivated in Trinidad, viz., at Mayaro, Guayaguayare, and 

 Chacachacareo ; and a few individuals then made their fortunes 



