77 



Edible Products. 



It was only recently that planters in the district have taken to pruning 

 their coffee, and not many of them do this. The ordinary height of the coffee 

 tree is from 6 to 9 feet. The trees are never topped. They are grown unshaded, 

 though when very young they are sheltered by the castor oil plants which are 

 grown between the rows. This plant gives fairly dense shade, and the leaves later 

 on form excellent manure. The coffee grown in the district is of the Arabian variety. 

 The trees are planted, one in each pit, at intervals of 10 to 12 feet- Bye-products are 

 cultivated between the rows of coffee trees when these are young. These by- 

 products consist of mandioca, maize and castor oil. No artificial manure is used in 

 the district, the only manure the plants get consisting of the coffee husks and 

 decomposed vegetable matter left on the ground after weeding and cleaning- The 

 condition of ten-year old trees is satisfactory, in spite of the fact that all the 

 cultivation they receive consists of weeding. Tiie trees come into bearing at the 

 age of from 2 to 3 years. 



There are usually three flushes of bloom, and blossoms and small green 

 berries are often seen on the same tree. Only the ripe berries are picked. The 

 yield is about 1,100 lbs. per acre. The trees after a heavy crop usually take two 

 years to recover. The coffee is dried in the husk, stored for two or three months 

 and then hulled. The only disease known in the district is the leaf-blight. This 

 appears first as a small yellowish spot upon the leaves, which gradually get darker, 

 till eventually the whole foliage is affected and the tree is killed. 



The estates are managed by their owners, and being here fairly free from 

 mortage, cultivation is still found to be profitable. The cost of production is 

 from 14^000. to 17$500 per cwt- (l$000=17d.). The reason given for the fact that 

 coffee cultivation is still found to pay, in spite of low prices, rising exchange and 

 dear labour, is that, estates being managed by their owners, there is a saving in 

 salaries to agents and middlemen, whilst efficient supervision is secured ; freights 

 from Brazil are low, the heavy Suez Canal dues are avoided, and land is more fertile 

 in Brazil than in India. Nevertheless the outlook for the coffee industry in Brazil 

 is not considered brilliant. In reply to the question as to what, in his opinion, 

 was the outlook for South Indian coffee planters, the Consul, could hold out little 

 hope for future prosperity. The cost of P. O. B. is given at 100 reis per bag of 75 

 kilos, and the freight to London as 30s. plus 5 per cent, per ton of 1,000 kilos. There 

 is an export duty of 200 reis per 15 kilos. 



SANTOS. 



In his Report on the industry in Santos, His Majesty's Consul writing on 

 the state of labour, the class of labour employed, and the wage rates obtaining 

 says : — Brazilian planters are always short-handed. This is due to inability to pay 

 the wages in many cases, consequent upon the crisis produced by low prices. 

 Generally speaking, the great bulk of labour is Italian ; probably 95 per cent. The 

 wages average about Rs. 70$000 per year for taking care of 1,U00 trees ; one average 

 family of say, five, man, woman, and three children, can take care of 5,000 trees per 

 year— Rs. 350$000. Besides which they make for picking during the harvest say 

 an average for the above-named family 20 alqueires (50 letros^ per day for say 70 

 days=l,400 alqueires at 350 reis=Rs. 490,$000. They are allowed also to plant between 

 the rows of coffee trees maize, beans, etc., and to keep pigs, goats, poultry, 

 etc. In this way I calculate they would gain further about Rs. 500$000 per 

 year or Rs. 350$000 



„ 490$000 

 „ 500$000 



Total ... 1,340$000 

 at IGd. exchange=c£89-6-8. 



