<xi  MONTHLY.  I>^ 
4 
" Vol.  XVI.]  COLOMBO,  SEPTEMBER  ist,  1896,  [No.  3. 
KEPOET  ON  THE  CULTIVATION  OF 
COFFEE  IN  MEXICO. 
( By  Mr  F.  Strongc,  Secretary  of  Legation,  j 
NTRODUCTORY.— The  cultiva- 
tion of  coffee  in  Mexico  dab*s 
from  the  commencement  of  the 
present  century,  and  it  has  long 
been  known  that  many  districts 
in  various  parts  of  the  country 
are  probably  as  well  suited  to 
the  growth  of  the  plant  as  any  in 
the  world.  The  unsettled  state  of  the  Republic,  how- 
ever, retarded  progress  in  this  as  in  many  other 
respects,  and  it  is  only  of  late  years  that  thecapabli- 
ties  of  the  country  as  a coffee  producer  have  at- 
tracted the  attention  which  they  undoubtedly  deserve. 
The  qilmost  total  failure  of  the  coffee  plantations 
in  Ceylon  and  all  Eastern  countries,  and  the  recent 
bad  coffee  harvests  in  Brazil,  together  with  the  fall 
in  silver  and  the  consequent  reduction  in  the  price 
of  land  and  labour  in  this  country  have  encouraged 
planting  in  Mexico,  and  the  profits  which  have  already 
been  obtained  seem  to  justify  a further  extension  of 
the  industry.  Under  these  circumstances,  and  in 
view  of  the  fact  that  before  long  a considerable 
amount  of  British  and  American  capital  will  pro- 
bably be  invested  in  coffee  plantations  in  Mexico, 
some  information  on  the  subject  which  has  been  ob- 
tained from  good  sources  may  perhaps  prove  of  interest. 
A considerable  area  in  various  States  in  Mexico 
is  suited  to  the  growth  of  coffee,  but  as  many  con- 
ditions are  required  to  ensure  its  profitable  cultiva- 
tion, great  care  should  be  taken  in  selecting  the 
site  of  the  proposed  plantation. 
Prb-rkquisites  I'OR  Success. — The  following  are  the 
principal  points  to  which  attention  should  bo  paid;— 1. 
Soil ; 2.  Climate  ; Communications  ; 4,  Labour. 
1.  Soil. — The  coffee  plant  can  be  cultivated  on 
various  descriptions  of  soil,  but  it  thrives  best  on 
light,  porous  loam  of  considerable  depth,  which  has 
not  before  been  brought  under  enltivation.  Clay 
land  should  generally  be  avoided  as  unsuitable. 
In  Mexico  the  best  land  is  generally  covered  with  vir- 
gin forest,  and  clearing  it  is  the  first  operation  the 
I'lanter  has  to  iindertake.  A rolling  surface  is  to 
bo  preferred  as  it  affords  greater  facilities  for 
drainage,  but  very  steep  slopes  are  not  as  a rule 
to  be  recommended. 
2.  Climate. — The  best  temperature  is  one  varying 
between  65°  and  85°  Fahr.,  which  can  be  obtained 
in  nearly  all  of  the  States  in  the  Mexican  Tierra 
Caliente.  Frost  kills  the  plant,  and  the'fierce  rays 
of  the  tropical  sun  if  untempered  by  abundant 
moistm-e  are  almost  equally  injurious.  Most  author- 
ities on  the  subject  agree  that  coffee  thrives  best 
where  the  rainfall  is  at  least  100  inches  per  annum, 
and  where  it  is  pretty  evenly  distributed  throughout 
the  year.  It  should  be  noted,  however,  that  coffee 
has  been  and  is  cultivated  with  some  success  in 
districts  (such  as  Cordova,  in  the  State  of  Vera  Cruz) 
where  the  rainfall  is  far  less.  Immunity,  or  at  least 
protection,  from  high  winds  is  very  desirable.  An 
eastern  exposure  is  to  be  preferred  where  the  weather 
is  generally  cloudy,  and  a western  in  a sunny  climate. 
Some  writers  attach  great  importance  to  the  height 
of  the  plantation  above  the  sea,  and  assign  limits 
of  altitude  for  the  choice  of  a site.  It  has,  how- 
ever, been  shown  by  experience  that  suitable  climatic 
conditions  are  to  be  found  at  a wide  range  of 
elevation,  and  that  coffee  of  the  highest  quality 
can  be  grown  almost  at  the  sea  level.*  In  select- 
ing a site  for  a plantation  too  much  attention  cannot 
be  paid  to  soil  and  climate,  and  it  has  always  been 
found  to  be  good  policy  to  give  even  a compara- 
tively high  price  for  land  where  these  were  thoroughly 
satisfactory. 
3.  Facilities  of  communication  are  also  of  great 
importance.  Railways  have  been  much  developed  of 
late  years,  and  their  extension  is  being  carried  on 
rapidly.  Still,  some  districts  which  would  otherwise 
be  very  suitable  for  coffee  planting  will  probably 
for  some  time  to  come  be  too  inaccessible  to  be 
recommended. 
* Notably  in  Liberia 
