COFFEE CULTURE ON THE SOUTHERN 

 COAST OF CHIAPAS. 



i. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The desire of contributing, in however slight a degree, to the de- 

 velopment of the cultivation of coffee in the State of Chiapas, which, 

 when undertaken on a large scale, will become the chief source of 

 wealth of a considerable part of its territory, induces me now to take 

 up my pen for the purpose of setting down the results of my own ob- 

 servations and of those of several experienced planters of Guatemala, 

 giving them the form of practical instructions, which may also be of 

 use to the people of the other States of the Mexican Confederation 

 who may be favorably situated for this industry and who may desire 

 to avail themselves of the advantages which it offers. I will note down, 

 then, what I consider to be the fundamental principles of coffee cul- 

 ture; and I think I may say with certainty that the rules here given 

 will produce good results in a soil and climate similar to those of 

 Chiapas, if they be faithfully and judiciously followed. To give these 

 rules is the purpose of the present work. 



It is also my purpose to show how easy the cultivation of coffee is, 

 and how large are the profits it yields, in order to encourage my 

 countrymen to devote themselves to so profitable an industry. Those 

 whose pecuniary resources will not allow them to undertake it on a 

 large scale may do so on a small one, certain of good results, and of 

 being able, with the profits which a small plantation will yield to form 

 a larger one in the course of a few years, which will assure their future. 



In order to appreciate the advantages to be derived by the Chiapas 

 coast from coffee cultivation, it will be sufficient to compare the Guate- 

 mala of twenty years ago with the Guatemala of to-day. Lands entirely 

 uninhabited have suddenly become transformed into well-cultivated 

 fields ; towns and cities that had fallen into decay have sprung into pros- 



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