COFFEE. 



33 



go chiefly to the United States, we will commence with the second 

 great coffee-producing country, Java, which however stands the first 

 in precedence for the introduction of the coffee tree. 



Ceylon is now pushing Java hard for second place in production. 



As early as 1650 the industrious Dutch carried the seeds of coffee 

 trees from Mocha to their colony in the far East, enlarged the enter- 

 prise rapidly, and were able in 1719 to appear in the great markets 

 of the world with large supplies of coffee from Java. Encouraged by 

 this success, they established similar plantations in Sumatra, Ceylon, 

 and the Sunda islands. The French and the English followed their 

 example, and in a short time the coffee tree had made the voyage 

 round the world. In 1690, Governor Witsen presented a coffee plant 

 to the Botanic Garden of Amsterdam, where it bore fruit, and pro- 

 duced many young plants. From these the East Indies and West 

 Indies have been furnished. 



In Java, which is situated six degrees south of the equator, elevated 

 forest clearings, between 2000 and 4000 feet above the level of the sea, 

 are found to be the best suited for the growth of coffee ; but it is culti- 

 vated in low lands also, although the tree does not last so long, and 

 bears less fruit. Shade trees are used, and weeding is well attended to. 



In some places the berries are dried with the pulp, but in the 

 majority of cases it is prepared in the parchment by pulping, 

 washing, and pounding with wooden pestles, and, by experienced 

 planters, with more complicated machinery. 



Java coffee has gradually acquired a reputation which its intrinsic 

 value fully merits. The greatest care and attention jbave been 

 bestowed on the cultivation there, it being not so much the wish 

 of the Dutch Government naturally to increase the present extent 

 of culture as to develop and strengthen the plant, in order thuB 

 to improve the quality and enhance the value of the bean. In 

 Brazil, San Domingo, and other places, over cultivation and obvious 

 neglect are doing much to injure the character of the product. 



There are three prominent kinds of Java coffee brought into the 

 Dutch markets — Jacatra, usually sold as Java; Cheribon, and Sama- 

 rang. The first is the best ; Cheribon is a little lighter colour, and 

 of somewhat inferior quality. Samarang coffee has yellowish-brown 

 or green flattened beans, but what is generally sold as such is simply 

 a kind of " triage," black beans of a coarse flavour. 



The culture of coffee in Java is effected by tribute or partially 

 forced labour. The Dutch Government maintain the old Indian idea 

 of sovereign right to a supreme lordship of the soil. They do not 

 allow freehold possession of land to the people, except where a few 

 foreigners held certain rights before our cession of the island, and 

 also where the native princes have maintained their ancient rights. 

 With these exceptions, the Government have a monopoly of the land, 

 and each family holds its farm on the stringent condition of having 

 to plant and maintain in bearing 650 trees, of which they must 

 harvest and deliver the produce, say 2 cwts., into the Government 

 warehouse. For this they have to leave their villages and camp in 

 the hills, receiving a payment of about 30s. per picul, or 24s. per cwt. 

 In such a task the people have naturally more interest in the speed 



