216 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Szpr., 1898. 
for last year. There is a good profit on this article, too, and it is a commodity 
that is easy to handle. Many people gave up the cultivation of vanilla because 
it required, so they said, such a lot of care, but, as a mattér of fact, anybody 
with ordinary intelligence, when once they had mastered the initial stages of 
its cultivation, would find but very little trouble in cultivating it. The great 
thing was to keep a large stock, for the demands from buyers were often very 
sudden and erratic. Mr. Christie said he had just sent a very large parcel to 
British Central Africa. 
Liquorice, said Mr. Christie, would never pay the Queenslanders to cultivate 
for export purposes, because it could be obtained so cheaply from Italy, 
COFFEE AT BUDERIM MOUNTAIN. 
By A. P. CORRIE. 
QUEENSLANDERS are inveterate tea-drinkers—tea dipsomaniacs, I had almost 
said—and it seems beside the mark to write of coffee-growing in that colony. 
Notwithstanding, many tropiculturists aspire to fame in the line of coffee. 
But they seem to lack enthusiasm, and their hopes and expectations have not 
yet lifted them out of the drear abode of grumblers. ‘Their grievance is the 
price. It is too small; and, unfortunately, it shows a decided tendency to 
grow beautifully less year by year. ; 
But, why does coffee culture languish? Why is the coffee culturist 
threatened with the fate of going down? ‘The reason is that there is no 
adequate demand. Then demand is regulated by consumption; and there ig no 
consumption. ‘T'ea is in possession, and possession is nine points of the law. 
This is just stated a priort. 
Suppose that Queensland were to rise to one great act of self-denial and 
abjure tea, what would follow? Coffee would get a hearing; and if 1t stated 
its case effectually, it would get a verdict in its favour. 
Some heroic attempts, however, have been made in the colony with the 
hope of establishing the coffee industry. I have knowledge of one attempt 
which 1 will describe. It was commenced some years ago:at Buderim, and 
has not yet ended in success or failure simply because it is in a state of 
“suspended animation,’ if I may be permitted to use the term. The 
accompanying plate will serve to illustrate the nature and scope of the under- 
taking, and, also, afford some idea of the obstacles which stand in the way of 
the aspirant to fame in coffee production. The experiments were begun and 
carried on ‘by Mr. G. A. Riebe, and are, as the illustration proves, most 
interesting and instructive. The contrivances were designed and made b 
Mr. Riebe, who had at his disposal only the tools and workshop of an amateur 
mechanic. That’s why the enterprise is the more praiseworthy. 
Let us start with the picked bean, passing over the matter of its 
cultivation and growth. 
When the bean is picked the coffee-grower’s troubles really begin, because 
the process which follows is long and tedious. ‘The first thing is to remoye the: 
pulp. For this work a pulper is needed. 
PULPING. 
The pulper is marked No. 1 in the illustration. With the object of 
showing more clearly its construction, Mr. Riebe dismantled the machine. The 
sides and top, it will be noticed, are resting at the foot. The roiler, to which 
are attached the handle and fly-wheel, is covered with the wire-netting similar 
