28 



COFFEE. 



It will be noted that Rio loses about one per cent, less than 

 Java or Maracaibo, which we believe can be accounted for upon 

 the ground that the Eio bean is more solid than the Sumatra or 

 Java berry, or even the Maracaibo bean, the latter sorts being 

 larger and more spongy than the Brazilian product. It will be 

 noted also that an allowance of sixteen per cent, will, as a rule, 

 cover all the loss in roasting. The usual charge for roasting 

 coffee for the trade is from one-half to three-fourths of a cent per 

 pound. Since means of communication from coffee-growing 

 countries have grown more rapid, coffee has arrived in our 

 markets much greener than formerly, and lacking ia that mel- 

 lowness which is so highly prized by connoisseurs. 



As confirmatory of the preceding remarks, based upon a long 

 experience gained in prepariag and distributing roasted coffee, the 

 following extract from a report of the late celebrated chemist, 

 Baron Von Liebig, wiU be found interesting : — 



"The chief operation is the roasting. On this depends the 

 good quality of the coffee. In reality the berries should only be 

 roasted until they have lost their homy condition, so that they 

 may be ground, or, as it is done in the East, pounded to a fine 

 powder. 



"Coffee contains a crystalline substance named caffeine or 

 theine, because it is also a component part of tea. This matter is 

 volatile, and every care must be taken to retain it in the coffee. 

 For this purpose the berries should be roasted till they are of a 

 pale brovm color ; in those which are too dark, there is no caf- 

 feine ; if they are black, the essential parts of the berries are en- 

 tirely destroyed, and the beverage prepared from these does not 

 deserve the name of coffee. 



