The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1868-08-05
COfHee-How Ia is Grown and
Gath er-ed
IFrun "A Journey in Brazil by Asa..i.-l

The next day was that of our departure.
Before leaving. we rode with Mr.. Lage
through the plantation, that we might I'M
derstand something Of the process Of COT
fee culture in Brazil. am not sure that,
in giving an account Of this model fazen-
da, We give just idea of fazendas IN
general. Its owner carries the same large
and comprehensive spirit. the same ener-
gy and force of win into all his undertake
ings. and has introduced extensive reforms
on his plantations The Fazenda de For
taleza de Santa Anna lies at the foot OF
the Serra de Bahylonia. The house itself,
as have already said. makes part of
succession of low white buildings, inclosing
al oblong square. divided into neat lots,
destined for the drying Of coffee.
This drying of coffee in the immediate
vicinity of the house. though it seems a
very general custom, must be an uncom-
Portable one, for the drying lots are laid
down in \ dazzling white cement, from the
glare Of which, in this hot climate, the eye
turns YEARLY away, longing ror a green
spot on which TO rest. Just behind the
house. on the slope of the hill, is the orange
". am never tired of these golden
orchards, and this was one Of especial
beauty. The small, deep colored tanger-
ines. sometimes twenty or thirty in one
cluster. the large. choice orange, Lannja
selecta.- as it is called. often ten or twelve
together in a single bunch, and bearing the
branches to the ground with their weight;
the paler, "Lmao doce,H or sweet lemon,
rather insipid, but esteemed here for its
cool refreshing properties-all these, with
many others-for the variety of oranges
is far greater than we of the temperate
zone conceive it to be-make mass Of
color, in which gold, deep orange and pale
yellow are blended wonderfully with the
background of green.
Beyond the house inclosure. on the OPP
posite side of the road. are the gardens.
with aviary, and fish ponds in the centre.
With these exceptions. all of the property
which is not forest is devoted to coffee,
covering all the hillsides for miles around.
The seed is planted in nurseries especially
prepared, where it undergoes Its first years
growth. Ii is then transplanted to Its
permanent home, and begins to bear in
about three years, the first crop being of
course, very light one. From that time
forward, under good care and with favora-
bic soil, it will continue to bear. and even
to yield two crops or more, annually, for
thirty years in succession. At that time,
the shrubs and soil are alike exhausted,
and according to the custom of the coun-
try. the fazendario cuts down new forest !
and begins new plantation, completely !
his old one, without thought |
of redeeming or fertaliziDg the exhausted !
land
One of the long-sighted reforms under
taken by our host Is the manuring of all |
the old deserted plantations on his estate, |
and he has already a number of vigorous |
young plantations which promise to be as
good as if virgin forest had been sacri-
feed to produce them. He wishes not l
only to preserve the wood on bis own es-
tate, and to show that agriculture need not
be cultivated at the expense of taste and /
beauty, but to remind his countrymen also. 1
that extensive as the forests are, they will /
not last forever. and that it Will be neces-
sary to immigrate before long to find new
coffee grounds, if the old ones are to be
considered worthless. Another of his re-
forms is that of the roads. already alluded
to. The ordinary roads in the coffee plan
tations, like the mule tracks all over the
country, are carried straight up the sides
Of the hills between the lines Of shrubs
quilted by every rain, and offering besides
SO steep an ascent that with eight or ten
oxen. it is often quite impossible to drive
the clumsy, old-fashioned carts up the slope.
and the negroes are obliged to bring great
part Of the harvest down on their heads
An American, who has been great deal
On the coffee fazendas in this region. told
ne that be had seen negroes bringing
enormous burdens on their heads down
almost verticle slopes. On Senior Lagos
sstate all these old roads are abandoned,
except where they are planted here and
here with alleys of orange trees for the
lse of the negroes, and he has substituted
or them winding roads in the side Of the
nil with a very gradual ascent, so that
light carts drawn by single mule can
transport ell the barvests from the summit
If the plantation to the drying ground. 1t
vas the harvesting season, and the spec
aele was a pretty one. The negroes, men
md women, were scattered about the plan
alton with broad, shallow trays, made of
llatted grass or bamboo, strapped over
heir shoulders and supported at their
waists; into these they were gathering the
'oiee, some already beginning to dry and
urn brown, while here and there was
Tee2 one not yet quite ripe, but soon to
ipen in the scorehing sun. Little black
hildren were sitting on the ground and
what fell under the bushes, sing
ng at their work monotonous but rather
'retty snatch of song. in which some took
be first and Others the second. making
iOtinharmonIous music. As their baskets
Fere filed. they came to the AdmInistra-
or to receive little metal ticket, on which !
be amount Of their work was marked. A
ask is allotted to each One-so mich to a
al grown N u, so much to a woman with
Dung children. so much to a child-and |,
ach one is paid for whatever he may do
yer and above it. The requisition is a :
cry moderate one, so that the industrious
ave an opportunity Of making little /.
money independently.
At night, they all present their tickets
nd are paid on the spot for any extra work.
rom the harvesting ground-we followed
be carts down to the place where their !
urden is deposited. On their return from
be plantation the negroes divide the days
srvest, and dispose Of it in little mounds
n the drying ground. When pretty equal :
: dried, the coffee is spread out in thin !
ven layers over the whole enclosure, where
is baked for the last time 1t is then
ulIed by a simple machine in use on al
lost all fazendas, and the process il COM r
lete.
DEAIH OF GEN XII Carson. Fort
you, Colorado. Kit KarsOn expired at :