354 Coffee Culture on tbe Soutbern Coast ot Cbiapas, 



2. COST, PRODUCTIVENESS, AND PROFITS OF COFFEE IN BARCENAS 



PLANTATION. 



Persons who have had experience in coffee culture consider that 

 the foregoing calculations are not exaggerated. Nevertheless, in order 

 to rectify them by presenting, not calculations which may give more 

 or less probable results, but data taken from one of the best managed 

 coffee plantations, situated between the cities of Antigua and Guate- 

 mala, belonging to Mr. Jose Maria Samayoa, I give below the separate 

 items furnished me by its very able manager. The items refer to cul- 

 ture by manzana, which is a lot of land having a square area of 100 

 varas per side, or an area of 10,000 square varas, that is, 16 cuerdas. 



I will divide this subject as follows : 



A. Cost of coffee culture in Barcenas. 



B. Productiveness of coffee in Barcenas. 



C. Profit of coffee in Barcenas. 



The three points shall be especially considered. 

 A. Cost of Coffee in Barcenas. Each manzana of coffee costs at 

 Barcenas, every four years, as follows : 



Nursery and Seeds. A manzana can contain 1666 trees planted at 2 varas 

 distance from each other, there being three between furrows ; the cost 



will be $12 per thousand plants, and the 1666 trees will cost $20 oo 



Stakes and Holes. 1666 stakes, and the same number of holes at the rate 



of $3 per thousand 5 oo 



Preparation of the Ground. Per each manzana 10 oo 



Transplanting. 1666 trees at $2.50 per thousand 4*7 



Weedings. Three with plow, the first year, after planting, at $i per 



manzana 3 oo 



Three during the second year, and three during the third year with 



spade, at $2 each weeding 12 oo 



Four weedings in the fourth year with spade, at $3 each weeding. ... 12 oo 



Other Expenses. Fencing, etc., in two years, at $i per year 2 oo 



Total cost $68 17 



B. Productiveness of Coffee in Barcenas. A manzana of coffee in 

 Barcenas yields as follows : 

 The third year after planting the coffee tree, a crop is obtained yielding 3 



ounces per tree, or say 312$ pounds, which, at 10 cents per pound, 



gives $31 23 



In the fourth year after planting, the crop amounts to one pound per tree, 



or 1666 pounds, which, at 10 cents per pound, gives 166 60 



Total proceeds $197 83 



C. Profits of Coffee Culture in Barcenas. 



The proceeds from a manzana of coffee at Barcenas is $197 83 



The cost of each manzana is 68 17 



There remains a net yearly profit per manzana of $129 66 



