BEVERAGES 69 



blight and is therefore cultivated to some extent in Java, Cey- 

 lon, and elsewhere. The Liberian coffee thrives at lower 

 elevations than the common varieties of Arabian coffee. Cof- 

 fea robusta is another species of coffee which has recently 

 come into some prominence as a rival of the Arabian and 

 Liberian coffees for certain purposes. This species grows 

 faster than the Liberian coffee and the leaves are thinner. 

 Moreover, the branches have a more decided habit of drooping 

 and the cherries occur in larger clusters. The cherries are 

 smaller than is the case with the Liberian coffee but the ber- 

 ries are about the same size. This species flowers the year 

 round, is decidedly resistant to leaf blight, and the aroma is 

 much better than that of the Liberian coffee. In Java, there 

 are at present about 15,000 acres devoted to the cultivation of 

 Liberian coffee. Sierra Leone coffee {Cofiea stenophylla) 

 was introduced into Ceylon in 1894. This species develops 

 black cherries instead of the usual crimson cherries and pos- 

 sesses an excellent aroma. Coffea excelsa is also under ex- 

 periment in various coffee-producing countries, but its value 

 has thus far not been established. 



The coffee industry of the United States is largely confined 

 to Porto Rico and Hawaii. Porto Rico exports coffee to the 

 value of about $8,500,000 annually and the industry is showing 

 quite rapid progress. The improvement of the coffee industry 

 of Porto Rico is due to better cultivation, higher prices, and 

 the use of superior varieties. Little demand has been created 

 in the United States for Porto Rican coffee, and practically 

 all of it is sold in foreign countries. The export of Hawaiian 

 coffee amounts to about 25,000 bags annually, with a value of 

 $175,000. The prevailing prices for Hawaiian coffee have 

 been relatively high in recent years, reaching 18 to 20 cents 

 per pound wholesale. The prospects for the coffee industry 

 in Hawaii are brighter than has been the case in former years. 

 The Army has adopted Hawaiian coffee for use in Hawaii and 

 the Philippines. 



