profits of Coffee "Raising In Soconusco. 353 



Value of the ground $ 100 oo 



Expenses for the first year 1,022 50 



" " second " 2,40867 



" ' " third " 3,40500 



" " fourth" 4,72500 



Total expenses for four years $i 1,661 17 



The total outlay on each cuerda planted with coffee, including 

 buildings, machinery, etc., will therefore be $11.66, and that of each 

 tree, a little more than 1 1 cents. 



B. Productiveness of a Plantation in Soconusco. The following is 

 an approximate estimate of the yield of a plantation of 1000 cuerdas 

 in Soconusco : 



In the third year each plant will yield four ounces of coffee, 104,000 plants 

 will yield 26,000 Ibs., which, at a minimum price of 10 cents per lb., 

 will be $2,600 oo 



In the fourth year the yield will be i lb. per tree, or 104,000 Ibs., which, 



at 10 cents per lb., are 10,400 oo 



Total yield in the first two years of bearing $13,000 oo 



That is, $13 per cuerda, or 12^ cents per tree. 

 C. Profits of Coffee in Soconusco. 



As we have just seen, the yield of a plantation of 1000 cuerdas in the third 



and fourth years after planting is $13,000 oo 



The total outlay during the four years has been 11,661 17 



There remains, then, after the fourth year a net profit of $!,338 83 



This profit is more or less the equivalent of the interest of the capi- 

 tal invested until the plantation begins to produce fruit ; that is to say, 

 that in four years the capital and its interest are repaid. 



The fifth year after the coffee has been planted, or the third year after 

 it has commenced to produce, and in the succeeding years, the yield 

 will be 2 Ibs. per tree, or 208,000 Ibs., which, at 10 cents per lb., will 

 give $20,800 oo 



Deducting the expenses of cultivation, preparing the coffee for the market 

 and improvements during the year, estimated at a maximum of $5 per 

 cuerda, on 1000 cuerdas we have 5,ooo oo 



Net profit of the fifth year and of each year thereafter $15,800 oo 



There is, then, in the fifth year, and in every year thereafter, a 

 profit of 135.49 per cent, on the capital invested during the four first 

 years, which, with its interest, has been already repaid. 



Each cuerda will give $15.80 per year, and each tree a little more 

 than 15 cents. 



In addition to which, the planter has in his favor the advantage of 

 a possible rise in prices the price being last year as much as $10 per 

 quintal for coffee on the plantation. 



