PREFACE. 



I HATE endeavored to tell the story of coffee in a practical 

 way, so as to make tlie information valuable alike to consumers 

 and dealers. I have been induced to add to the innumerable com- 

 pany of books from the fact that there seemed to be a want for 

 a work which, besides furnishing statistical and historical matter 

 relative to the coffee-plant, should give the reader a thorough 

 knowledge of the characteristics of the world's coffee supply, and 

 the mode of preserving and preparing the coffee-bean so as to best 

 secure all those qualities which make coffee the favorite beverage 

 with most of the civilized nations of the earth. My reliance has 

 been chiefly upon twenty years' experience as a dealer, and such in- 

 formation as was to be gathered from a trip around the world. I 

 have to acknowledge my indebtedness to many books for facts re- 

 garding coffee culture, and historical matter relating thereto, and 

 also to a large circle of business acquaintances for valuable statis- 

 tical information. To mention them specifically is hardly pos- 

 sible, and would be of little interest to the general reader. It is, 

 however, but just that I should here recognize the many courtesies 

 and favors rendered me by General Joseph j^immo, Jr., Chief of 



