September i, 1887.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 161 
Queensland. — The climate and soil of thi.s Colony 
appear to be well suited to the growth of coffee, 
which is found growing in various parts without any 
special care other than weeding. It is cultivated OQ 
some farms, but only as an adjunct to other crops, 
and the eight specimens shown in the Exhibition are 
such as should encourage its extension. A sample 
from Stanmore, Yatala, although not properly pickod, 
showed a fair greenish quality, worth, as it is ; C3s. 
per cwt., and which might probably be improved by 
Cultivation and careful preparation. A sample from 
Budftrum Mountain Mooloolah, was still better in 
quality, 
Fiji.— A considerable portion of the interior of the 
islands of Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, and Taviuni appears 
to be well adapted for the cultivation of coffee. 
There is an abundance of rich soil, and favourable 
conditions of climate, moisture, &c. ; the plant 
grows quickly and yields good crops. The pest of leaf- 
disease, which visited the islands four or five years 
ago, led to the destruction or abandonment of several 
estates, but now that it has disappeared,* growers 
anticipate a prosperous future and increasing pro- 
duction. 
Of fourteen samples exhibited, one showed a good 
quality of washed or plantation colfee, well grown and 
of large bean, but deficient in colour, and worth about 
(iSs. per cwt. ; one Peaberry, worth 75s. ; one sound 
though rather rough and discoloured, 63s. per cwt. ; 
they were all three of strong, clean, good roasting 
quality. The remainder in parchment were somewhat 
similar, though mostly of a dark blackish colour, 
owing probably to insufficient drying. 
Natal. — Judging from the exhibits of Natal coffee, 
eleven in number, it would appear that the soil and 
climate of somo portions of the Colony are eminently 
suited to its growth. The samples from Umzinto and 
Umziuikulu, to the south and extreme south of Durban, 
were of excellent quality, well prepared, heavy, round 
berries of good size and colour, and not unlike Coorg 
in appearance; such qualities would find a ready sale 
here for home consumption and export, and are worth 
from 73s. to 83s. per cwt. The samples from Tongaat 
and Biet Valley, in Victoria county, north of Durban, 
were also of useful quality, hard, greyish, roasting and 
basting well, though not so well picked and prepared 
as the others, and rather deficient in colour; their 
value was from 60s. to 05s. per cwt. 
The Natal plantations are mostly in the valleys, and 
on the hill slopes along tho sea-coast. The cultivation 
began BOtne thirty years ago, had assumed rather large 
proportions in 1870 (there wore then upwards of 
l>)0n acres planted, and the annual production amounted 
to 12,1 )(K) cwt.); but disease of the trees and failure 
of crops have since led to the gradual abandonment 
of the plantations, and the produce now is uot estimated 
at much more than 2,000 cwt. annually. 
Tn a country which can produce such flue coffee as 
that exhibited from Natal, there ought to be a promising 
field for future success open to the plautpr who devotes 
care and intelligence to the choice of the laud, the 
quality of the seed, the growth and cultivation of his 
fields, and the preparation of his crop. 
West Africa Sbttlbmbnts— Mauritius. — The ex- 
hibits from Sierra Leone, the Gold Coast aud (I nubia 
were few in number and of poor qudity, consisting 
chiefly of Liberian and of the small brown Cis n ;a 
kind; the former worth 48s. to 50s. and the latter 12s. 
to 45s, p-rewt. Oue sample, from th'q Cold Coast raised 
at. the Bill Mi-sion at Akropong, showed rather better 
quality of pale brownish na'ive kind, worth 53s. per cwt. 
From the appearance of the samples, colfee seems to be 
cultivated in a very primitive way, and on a small scab- 
only, and the varieties grown are those of lowest 
commercial value in the Kuropean markets. 
From Mauritius, one sample of good yellow Liberian 
was shown, anil from the Andaman Islands also one 
sample of Liberian of largo size, both worth about 
54s. per cwt. 
West Indies — Jamaica. — Coffee is grown in almost 
ever] ouo of the West India Islands, but Jamaica is 
the only one where the cultivation is carried out on 
• Which we exceedingly doubt. — Fi>. 
n 
n extensive scale, the quantity exported in 18s5 
mounting to 80,600 cwt., and occupying the third 
auk in value of the products exported from this island. 
From 8000 to 10,000 cwt, are produced annually 
on plantations situated on the high lands of the Blue 
Mountains, which have long been known as one of the 
finest coffee-growing districts in the world, thanks to 
a fine rich soil and a favourable climate, combined 
with all tho care and intelligence which the means of 
European planters can command. The coffee from those 
favoured localities is all consumed in this country, and 
realises almost the highest prices in the market — say 
from 90s. to 140s. per cwt. The remaining 60,000 to 
70,000 cwt. are grown in various parts of the island ; 
some in the Manchester district is of medium quality 
and well prepared, but the por'ion is cultivated in 
small patches or gardens by settlers and small pro- 
prietors who do not possess the knowledge or tl.e 
means of preparing their crops properly, or in the low 
e .untry, where an inferior quality is raised; hence the 
great difference in prices between fiue mountain and 
the ordinary Jamaica. The want of proper curing 
establishments is much felt in many parts ; it is prob- 
able, too, that the plants are not rai.-od from good 
seed, and that better cultivation and manuring are 
needed. But even this will not suffice to ensure the 
good quality of the crop, unless due attention is paid 
to picking at the right moment, and to immediate 
pulping anil thorough drying of the parchment. This 
should ensure the proper colour, but, in the absence 
of the necessary appliances, the planter would best 
consult his interest by sending his parchment to be 
peeled, &c, at the nearest works, or better still by 
shipping it to London for treatment. Ordinary Jamaica 
colfee is now selling here at 50s. to 53s. per cwt., 
aud there is every reason to believe that with better 
care in picking aud curing, and with quick dispatch 
of the parchment to London, the grower might obtain 
from 10s. to 12s. per cwt. more than he does at 
present. There does uot seem to be any good reason 
why, in a country where the highest priced coffee is 
grown, the bulk of the production should rank on 
a par with common Brazil or the lowest known qualities. 
The extensive planting of the Liberian variety, which 
appears to be going on in Jamaica and other places, 
will most probably leaf to disappointment ; the quality is 
so poor, so deficieut iD strength aud aroma, and so 
little appreciated in the home markets, that any 
material increase in the supply must inevitably lead to a 
lower range of prices, which will fail to repay the 
outlay. 
Tho Jamaica plantations appear to have been so 
far quite free from leaf disease, bug, or other enemies of 
the coffee-tree, and there is an abundance of forest 
lauds of proper elevation in the St. Ann and Clarendon 
districts and the northern slopes of the Blue .Mount- 
ains, suitable for extending the cultivation of tho 
.finer classes, which ought to give handsome returns 
for the capital so invested. 
Of the sixty-nine samples exhibited in the Jamaica 
Court, sixteen were p irchment and cherry, nine from 
the finest estates were worth from 110s. to 1 40s. per 
cwt. averaging 120s. to 125s. ; eight averaged 90s. per 
cwt. ; eight more 75s. per cwt. ; eight w -re worth from 
54s. to 65s. ; aud two about 47s. There w re also twelve 
samples of Peaberry from 70s. for the lowest to 105s. 
for the best; and two samples of Lib-jrian worth 56s. 
aud 50s. per cwt. 
In addition to the above, ten samples were shown in 
tin; Indian Court, mostly duplicates of some of the finest 
estates, and tweuty-seven jars of average samples, also 
from the finer marks of extremely good quality, and of 
a value not less than 120 <. per cwt. 
Proceeding from Jamiici in a south-easter' v direc- 
tion towards the continnnt of S >uth Am riea, I found 
amongst the British West India Islam's which have sent 
specimens of Colfee to the Inhibition: — 
St. Ki l l's AVI) Nkvis with t ho samples of hiee palish- 
green, soft quality, worth AOs. 
AkriOUA. — Two sample, of pale greyish, somewhat 
uneven, worth 5 Is, 
Montsbbbat.— One sample orxHniry native kiuJ, 50s., 
and oue greenish, of good size, 58s. 
