70 



The manufacture of this staple commodity, with a view to its improrement 

 in qualitV; is a sul^ject vrhicli demands our serious attention ; and when we ob- 

 serre the vast importance and pecimiary advantage which accrue upon the 

 slightest shade of improvement either in colour or appearance, it becomes the 

 more imperative on us to use all those means which are available, in order to 

 place oiu'selves on a footing with the foreign gi'ower. It is true that we are 

 unable to enter the contest with the East Indian or slave cultivator, from the 

 abundance and cheapness of labour which is placed at their command ; but by 

 means of our skill and assiduity, we can successfully compete with them by the 

 manufacture of superior produce. 



To this portion of plantation management I haye given an attentive inc[uiry, 

 and shall s'.ortly proceed to state my views on the system best adapted to the 

 curing and preparing for market of good quality produce. 



The fruit should he gathered in when in a blood-ripe state, to all appearance 

 like cherries. The labourers are principally accustomed to reap the crop in 

 baskets, of which they carry two to the field ; and when the coflee is bearing 

 heavily, and is at its full stage of ripeness, the good pickers will gather in four 

 bushels ])'''/• dkni. and cany the same on their heads to the v>'orks. 



The fruit is then mcnsurL-d and thrown into a loft above the pulper in a heap. 

 It should be submitted to the first x)rocess of machinery, the pulper. within 

 twenty-four h'jurs after, if not immediately ; but it not unfrequently hf.ppens 

 that the nianag3r is unable to pulp his coffee tor two and sometimes three days, 

 by which time fermentation ensues, and it becomes impossible after pulpine to 

 wash otf the mucilage, which rather adheres to the outer envelope of the beriy, 

 and gives the produce what is termed a "red'" or '■ blanketty " appearance 

 when spread out on the bnrbaeues. The produc-e is let dovm by means of a 

 small hole cut into the ' :■ loft, or a floating bo-v. into the hopper of the 



pulper, and by m.eans > i , . forcing the fruit against the chops, the hemes 

 are dislodged I'^-iiv tl-" p i^' fall upon a sieve, which being shaken by the 

 machinery, lit- xl:-" I'Liri. s 11,11 into the cistern, whilst the grater catches the 

 pulp and carii:; it uaL-kward; at each evoluti-^n of the roller, around which it is 

 encii'cled. 



The fi'uit which might have passed through without being more than half 

 squeezed, and having- 'jiily ejected one beny, is then retuimed ^ifter being 

 shaken off by the sit vt^^ into the hopper, to undergo the process a second time. 

 The pulped cofiee is then permitted to remain in the cistern for a day and a 

 night, during which period it undf:rgoes a process of fermentation ; it is then 

 washed out in two or throe water-, 1 th -'-h-le of the miicilaiino"? stuff 

 which had risen from the berry l>y the i- :i is entirely wa-h. •! • 'if. and 



the coffee presents a beautiiiil whitu ;.. ^ - ■. From this the prvdi;«.c is 

 turned out to drain on a barbacue. slope a .-o s to throw all the water to the 

 centre, where a di-ain is placed to cany it all off. 



In an hoiu' or so after, the coffee may be removed to the barbacues for ctu'ing; 

 it is there spread out thinly and exposed to the sun. which, if shining strong, 

 will in eight or nine hours abs-'irli all the water, and the cetfee be tit for housing 

 that day. I say fit for housill^^ because I have rtpcatcdly seen conce washed 

 out early in the morning and put up tliO same evening. I cannot say I approve 

 of the system, though in fine weather it has been attended with success. From 

 the time the coffee is first exposed to the sun till the silver skin starts, is the 

 stage, in my opinion, during which the produce sutters most injury. In the 

 first instance, it should be kept constantly turned, in order to get the water ab- 

 sorbed as early as possible; and after it has been housed, the greatest precaution 

 should be taken to prevent its heating : and it is for this reason that I disap- 

 prove of early housing, for if wet weather should intervene, and the coffee cannot 

 be turned out, it is sure to get heated. From this neglect I have seen a perfect 

 steam issuing from the house in the morning when the doors have been opened ; 

 and I haye known, as a natural consequence, the adhesion cf the silver skin to 

 the beny so finn, that it could not be removed by a sharp penknife without 

 slicing the berry. 



In a succession of wet weather the produce has remained on the barbacues 

 for scycral weeks, without the slightest advance in curing ; and, unless it be 



