THE QUININE FAMILY. 



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tains many plants useful in their respective countries, but 

 only a few are of general importance. 



Coffee {Coffea Arahicd). A small, much-branched tree, 

 which, when grown singly, attains the height of 20 feet, and 

 much resembles a cherry tree, but has papery white bark 

 and branches more slender and horizontal. It has opposite 

 leaves of a light green colour, and elliptical lance-like form, 

 about 6 inches in length. The flowers are in clusters in the 

 axis of the leaves, and are white, like orange flowers, and 

 perfume the air. The young fruit is first of a green colour, 

 but on ripening becomes red, and is about the size of a small 

 cherry, each containing 2 seeds closely united by their flat 

 sides, which, on the pulp being removed, separate, and con- 

 stitute coffee berries. Much has been written on the his- 

 tory and use of Coffee. From the best accounts there 

 appears little doubt that it is a native of Abyssinia, and 

 derives its name from a province in that country, called 

 Caffa, where it appears to have been known from time 

 immemorial. It was introduced into Arabia about the 

 end of the fifteenth century (or probably much earlier). 

 It became indigenous there, and furnished the supply 

 of coffee for a considerable period to the Turkish capital 

 and Western Europe ^ being shipped from Mocha, whence 

 the name of " Finest Mocha Coffee." Coffee is said to 

 have been first used in London by a Smyrna merchant, 

 who, in order to have it properly prepared, brought with 

 him a Levantine girl, who subsequently married his coach- 

 man, when they opened the first coffee-shop in London, 

 in 1652. 



The plant was introduced into Holland ; and in time one 

 was conveyed to the Dutch settlement of Surinam. It is 

 also said to have been introduced by the French into the 

 island of Martinique in 1717. From these plants it is gene- 

 rally believed to have been introduced into the American 

 Continent, where it is extensively cultivated throughout the 

 warm parts, also in Ceylon and other parts of India. The 

 chief supply to this country comes from the West Indies, 



