152 POLYNESIAN COFFEES. 



has never been scientifically treated, and as a conse- 

 quence is not as yet an article of commerce. 



Fijian Coffee. — Some coffee of fair quality was 

 exported from these islands as early as 1877, the indus- 

 try making but little progress there since that time, not- 

 withstanding the fact that the islands possess abundant 

 facilities for the production of a superior variety. Several 

 of the most wealthy and enterprising planters are now, 

 however, engaged in its cultivation, and it is expected 

 soon to become one of the chief exports of those islands. 

 The bean is medium sized, green in color, as with all 

 new coffees, and, owing to improper curing, somewhat 

 grassy in flavor. 



Hawaiian Coffee — Coffee has been cultivated in 

 Hawaii and other islands of that group with consider- 

 able success for many years past, although the produc- 

 tion has varied greatly there. The first plantations 

 formed in the island were only a few feet above sea-level, 

 to which fact is attributed the failure or rather slow pro- 

 gress of the industry there. New plantations at higher 

 elevations have recently been established, from which 

 better returns are expected. They are classified, and 

 known to trade as Puna, Hilo, Kona and Hamakua, of 

 which Kona is the finest, the others varying in size, color 

 and flavor. The exports have declined from 415,000 

 pounds in 1870, which in 1885 fell to as low as 1,675 

 pounds, but for 1892 it had again increased to 13,000 

 pounds, the total exports since 1 881 amounting to 

 215,782 pounds. 



Australian Coffee. — Coffee has been found to pros- 

 per well in Queensland, a yield of over 600 pounds 

 per acre being obtained there so far and selling in Bris- 

 bane at twenty cents per pound, the smaller farmers 



