S 9 6 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [April i, 1882. 
As a very satisfactory progress we have to state that 
now-a-days on almost every larger plantation there are steam- 
engines and other machinery in use, and planters try their 
best to replace the dear hand-work by cheaper machine- 
work and to improve thereby as much as possible the 
quality of the coffee, 
The low range of coffee-prices and the small remuner- 
ation which planters find in consequence thereof has caused 
them also to take some other steps, which, as they hope 
may tend to attract more attention to Brazil-Ooffee, which 
according to their ideas is not sufficiently appreciated in 
the consuming countries with regard to its merit. 
By private initiative planters and commissioners arranged 
during July August of past year an exhibition of Brazil- 
Ooffee, which was opened here in November and which in 
reality showed many very handsome samples of coffee. It 
must however be regretted that so far but very little of 
the fine qualities exhibited have come in the trade. 
In order to make propaganda for their coffee and 
to show to the various markets of consumption, what fine 
qualities can be had here, it was resolved to exhibit part 
of the different samples in several larger towns of Europe 
and the United States and, in fact, towards the end of 
last month these samples left Rio de Janeiro. 
In the interest of the planters it is to be hoped that 
the propaganda may have the desired effect, but we doubt 
that it will be the case, as according to our opinion 
Brazilian Coffee is so well known everywhere that the ex- 
penses for the several exhibitions are thrown away uslessly. 
The immigration has by no means, made that progress 
which in the interest of the country should be desired. 
The government has constantly occupied itself with this 
point, but so far no satisfactory solution has been arrived at. 
The abolitionistic movement in the country counties and 
the Chambers will doubtlessly have to occupy themselves 
with the revision of the Emancipation- Act in order to quiet 
the excited minds. 
We have nothing more to state of interest with regard 
to the interior political position, with the exception that 
the last elections — effected in November for the first time 
according to the new law — have taken place in such a quiet 
and undisturbed manner, as never before. 
During the past year foreign politics have had no influence 
whatever on the inward state of the Empire, this country 
having had the most agreable relations with all foreign powers. 
It is true that our troublesome Latino- American neighbours 
have constantly been arming, so that the Brazilian Government 
could not pursue the former apathic attitude, but was forced 
also to re-organize its army and navy, so that now Brazil is in 
a position to rebut with energy any attack which might 
be made. 
These armings have devoured large sums, so that the 
financial position of this country has not improved, which 
fact is clearly indicated by the present low rates of exchange. 
At the close of the last and the beginning of the new year 
the value of the 6 o/o Stocks was Rl:055*000 to 1:060*000 
excl. Dividend, that of the 1868 Gold loan 5,1:290*000 and 
that of the 1879 Gold loan, which is payable in coupons 
in Europe and here, Rl:118*000. 
The customhouse returns of the year 1881 show a decrease 
of 111,255:550*404 against those of the previous year, being 
during last year R41,624:171*268 against R42,879:721*672 
during 1880. 
Coffee. — If we look back upon coffee-trade in general 
and specially on that part of it which is done by the 
Brazils, during the year just closed, we do not find any 
feature presenting a pleasant remembrance. 
With but short intervals the article has pursued a falling 
tendency and the decline in prices, which is over twenty 
per cent within the last 12 months, can have been ad- 
vantageous to but very little* people. 
Business on the whole was languid. 
In consequence of the heavy failures in New York 
and Boston during December 1880 the United-States 
markets, our principal customers, had been weakened, and 
throughout the year 1881 they operated with utmost 
caution, purchasing only for immediate wants, whereas the 
speculation did not touch the article. 
J n Europe confidence seemed to set in on account of 
the low range of prices, but it was lost again, when by a 
speculative consortion [association or "ring." — Ed. CO.] 
1 The worthy brokers mean " few" persons. — Ep. 0. O. 
in Havre large quantities of coffee were bought and stored 
up there and even in the United States the large stocks 
accumulated in Havre had a depressing effect and proved 
to be a drawback to any sound developement of business. 
People on the whole have the idea, that the production 
of coffee is no more in a right proportion to the consump- 
tion and this question is so far not yet settled. 
The principal reason of the rapidly increasing production 
were the relatively very high prices which ruled during 
the years 1871, 1»72, 1873 and 1874, and as planters made 
then a splendid profit, they laid out everywhere new plant- 
ations and brought the production to the present height, 
which according to the opinion of many people must be 
considered as the culminating point, it being taken for 
granted that a much larger production cannot be reached, 
if coffee prices do not rise again, as the remuneration 
which the planters find in present prices does not give them 
sufficient incitement to increase their production still more. 
Now, supposing that we would have for sometime to 
come the same large supply of coffee, as at present, the 
question is: can the consumption master the large avail- 
able quantity of cofiVe, and if so, which is the lowest range 
of prices, necessary to call forth such an increase of eon- 
sumption that production and consumption are again in a 
right proportion ? 
Low prices are for an article like coffee the most power- 
ful means for an increase of the consumption, and if — as 
it is a well known fact— during 1873/74 even the highest 
prices ever known could not birng down materially the 
consumption, h>w quickly must it increase with prices rang- 
ing 50 to 60 per cent below those ruling 7 to 8 years ago. 
Our opinion is that ere long the consumption will become 
larger, say rise in due proporti n to the production, and 
that only one small Brazil-crop will suffice to re-establish 
the equilibrium. 
One point, and a very important one, must also be borne 
in mind and that is the fact, that for those planters, whose 
plantations are very far in the interior, it is at present 
prices no more remunerative to send their coffee, especi- 
ally the lower qualities, to the sea-pott, as the expenses 
for freight etc. are in many cases as large, sometimes even 
larger than the price obtainable at the sea-port. 
If coffee-prices decline further, we shall see this occur- 
rence take place still more frequently and hundreds of 
planters will then be obliged to remain with their coffee 
until an advance in prices allows them to dispose of their 
produce favourably. 
It is impossible to foresee, whether this point will take 
proportions which may alter the course of the article, 
but we deem it right to call thereto the attention of our 
friends. ' 
The year 1881 began with prices of 5*000 for "Goodfirst' e 
and 4$250 for "Ordinaryfirst"; up till middle of May th t 
movement was a steaoily downward one, reaching its lowes 
point with about 4*450 for "Gootlfirst" and about 3*550 fo r 
"Ordinaryfirst" toward* end of May. 
trices then began to pursue a rising tendency which 
lasted throughout June, July, up till the end of August and 
the quotation ior ''Goodfirst" rose as high as 4*800 and 
that for "Ordinaryfirst" to about 3$800. 
From middle of September towards end of the year the 
tendency was on the whole again a declining one, and we 
closed the year with prices of about 4*200 for "Goodfirst" and 
3*450 for "Ordin ryfirst", which prices, compared with 
those rulinsat the beginning of 1881, show a decline of about 
800 ri is per 10 Kilos, say from 16 to 20 per cent.— In the 
free on boaid prices the decline is still heavier, say from 
20 to 25 per cent, as the rates of excl ange as well as 
those of freights were much lower in December 1881 than 
in January 1881. 
The quality of the 1881/82 crop was on the whole 
satisfactory, showing on the average a fjir proportion of 
well cleaned coffee of good bean. 
" Superiors " were in the begin nintr of the crop-year very 
scarce, but later on they were pretty well reprpsented in the 
stock ;" Goodfirst " 'Regular-first" and " Ordinary first " 
were abundant. The latter quality being very much sought 
after has of late become scarcer. '' Goodsecond " and 
" Ordinarysecond " have not been over-abundant and of 
late have even become scarce, as it does not pay the 
planters to send lower stuff to the market, for which they 
must accept prices, covering in many cases not even the 
expenses for freight and forwarding thaiges. 
