AFRICAN COFFEES. I05 



pea-berry." The raw or natural bean is dark-brown in 

 color, light or " chaffy " in weight, very brittle and poorly 

 prepared, while the liquor is almost black and insipid, if 

 not actually rank or nauseous, in flavor, the decoction 

 tasting more like an infusion of char-bones than anything 

 else it may be likened to. It is principally shipped to 

 Spain, Portugal and other European countries, very little, 

 fortunately, ever reaching the United States. 



Angola — Produced in the Portuguese colony of that 

 name, is medium in size, concave in form, light-brown 

 in color, strong and pungent in flavor, but lacking in 

 smoothness and aroma. Not being regularly cultivated, 

 its production is limited, that grown by the settlers on 

 the uplands of the interior being much superior to the 

 wild or native sorts. 



Benguelan — Is another variety of Angola, grown in 

 the adjoining province to the south and closely resem- 

 bles it in size, color and general character. Being also 

 limited in supply, it is rarely if ever shipped to this 

 country, what is not retained for home consumption 

 being forwarded to Lisbon, Madrid and the Canaries. 



Congo — Is a medium-sized, heavy bean, strong and 

 rich in the cup, and, taken altogether, a desirable sort. 



Natal Coffee — Is a large light-brown bean, closely 

 resembling the Liberian product, being grown from that 

 species, but greatly modified in body and strength. 

 Coffee culture in Natal is struggling against adverse 

 conditions, owing to the spread of the bark disease in 

 that colony and for which no cure has been found. This 

 is much to be regretted, as the quality of the product is 

 very fair, the demand for the article continually growing. 



