COFFEE. 



67 



an accurate taste would discover that its flavour is improved in 

 proportion. 



From Mocha, Hodeida, and other parts of Arabia, there used to be 

 exported, a quarter of a century ago, about 10,000 tons of coffee 

 annually, but it is difficult to get at any precise figures as to the 

 production now ; it certainly, however, is not one-half of this. 



The principal coffee districts are Hinjersia, Tarzia, Oudein, Anei- 

 zah, Bazil, and Wusaf. The coffees of the Red Sea are mostly sent 

 first to Bombay by Arab ships, and there garbled and forwarded to 

 Europe. Mocha coffee, until lately, has been much esteemed ; the 

 fine sorts continue to be so, but -the major part imported into this 

 country is of a very mixed character, in many cases stones and husks 

 forming a good portion of the bulk. Other growths, such as Mysore 

 and fine East India, are rapidly superseding this kind, and unless the 

 quality is much improved the demand in this country must die away ; 

 as it is, the greater part is exported at prices actually below those of 

 Plantation Ceylon and other colonial growths. The berry of the really 

 choice qualities of Mocha, when roasted, has a flavour and fragrance 

 which are unequalled by other growths. 



Africa and the African Islands. — The eastern and western coasts of 

 Africa, including the islands of Mauritius, Eeunion, St. Helena, 

 St. Thomas, and Prince's, produce coffee to the extent of about 

 2,000,000 lbs. yearly. The island of St. Thomas is progressing in 

 coffee production, the exports having increased sixfold between 1845 

 and 1864, in which years they had reached 1,750,000 lbs. At Praia 

 Eei, where the culture was commenced in 1854, the produce had 

 reached 130,000 lbs. in 1862 and has gone on advancing. This 

 property, which is one league and a half by three in extent, is divided 

 into three estates, cultivated by about 300 labourers ; Monte Cafe, 

 another estate commenced in 1854, by 50 labourers, in the course 

 of eight years had nearly 500,000 trees planted. The seventh year 

 the crop yielded 200,000 lbs., and since 1865 has produced about 

 650,000 lbs. annually. Alta Douro, another estate, only commenced 

 in 1857, had planted some 50,000 trees in a year or two, and is now 

 a most productive property. The coffee of Liberia and Eio Nunez 

 has a high reputation. 



Although attention was prominently drawn by me to the excellence 

 of the Liberian coffee and its prolificness in the first edition of this 

 work nearly a quarter of a century ago, it is only within the last few 

 years that planters and commercial men have begun to duly appreciate 

 its value and importance. 



Coffee is also grown in the Cape Yerde islands, Mozambique, 

 Madagascar, Angola, the Gold Coast, Gabon, Ambriz, and Madeira. 

 About the villages and settlements of the Sherbro river and Sierra 

 Leone wild coffee trees are very abundant. 



There are many varieties of West African coffee from the large 

 and symmetrical pale berries of St. Thomas to the little dark Bembe 

 coffees. 



Bourbon or Reunion. — This island was taken possession of by the 

 French in 1649. In 1715 wild coffee trees were found growing in 

 the woods, and in 1718 Mocha coffee trees were introduced. 



