The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-03-22

From "A Journey in Brazil" BY Aes-si.I

Prom "a Journey in Brazil" by Ags.sirl
The next day was that of our departure. Before
leaving, We rode with Mr.. Lage through the
plantation, that we might understand the process
Of coffee culture In this country. / am not sure
that, in giving an account of this model fazenda
we give just idea Of fazendas in general. It's
owner carries the same large and comprehensive
spirit the same energy and force of will into ali
bis undertakings, and has introduced extensive re.
forms on his plantations. The Fazenda de Forta-
leZa de Santa Anna les at the foot OF the Sierra
de Babylonia. The house itself, as have already
said, makes part Of succession Of low white
buildings, inclOsing an oblong square divided into
neat lots, destined for the drying of coffee.
This drying of the coffee in the immediate vicin-
ity of the house, though il seems very general
custom, must be an uncomfortable one for the
drying lots are laid down in dazzling white CO.
ment from the glare Of which. in this hot climate,
the eye turns YEARLY away, longing for green
spot on which TO rest. just behind the house, on
the slope OF the hill is the oraDgery. am never
tired OF these golden orchards. and this was OF
special beauty. The small, deep colored tanger-
ines, sometimes twenty or thirty iu one cluster;
the large. choice orange, Larania selecta,r as
II is called, often ten or twelve together in single
bunch. and bearing the branches to the ground
with their weight; the paer, Limao docev or
sweet lemon. rather insipid. but esteemed here
for its cool, refreshing propertiesall these with
many others-for the variety of oranges is far
greater than We of the temperate zone conceive
il 10 be-mske macs OF color, in which gold.
fully with the background of green.
Beyond the house Enclosure, on the opposite side
OF the road are the gardens. with aviary, aud fish
ponds in the center. 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 especi-
ally prepared. where II undergoes its first years
growth. IL Is then transplanted TO its perns-
nent 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 favorable soil, it will continue TO bear,
and even TO yield two crops more annually, for
thirty years IN succession. At that time the
shrubs and the soil are alike exhausted. and &C.
cordiDg 70 the custom Of the country, the fezen-
deiro cuts down new forest and begins new
plantation, completely abandoning his old one,
without thought Of redeeming or fertilizing the
exhausted land ~
One of the long sighted reforms undertaken by
our host is the manuring OF all the deserted plan
tatioDs on his estate, and he has already nun.
Der OF vigorous young plantations which promise
70 be as good as il virgin forest had been sacri-
feed 70 produce them. He wishes not only o.
preserve the wood on his own estate, and to show
that agriculture need not be cultivated at the ex-
pense OF taste and beauty, butte remind his coun-
try people also that, extensive as the forests they
will not last forever, and that il will be necessary
70 mmierate before long to find new coffee grounds,
If the old ones are 10 be considered worthless
Another Of his reforms that of the roads, already
alluded TO. The ordinary roads in the coffee plan
are ca rred straight up the sides Of the hills be-
tween the lines of the shrubs quilted by every
rain, and Offering besides steep an ascent that
even with eight or ten oxen il Is often quite i'm
possible to drive the clumsy, old fashioned carts
up the slope and the negroes are obliged to bring
a great part If the harvest down on their heads.
An American, who has been a good deal on the
cot, fazendas in this region told me that he had
seen negroes bringing enormous burdens of this
kind on their heads down almost vertical slopes.
AnUnF MI al fhaao ola oAuo
abandoned, except where they are planted here
and there with alleys OF orange trees for the use
OF the negroes, and he has substituted for them
winding roads in the side Of the hill. with very
gradual ascent, so that light carts dragged by a
single mule can transport all the harvests OF the
plantation from the summit OF the plantation TO
the drying ground. II was the harvesting season
and the spectacle was a pretty one. Tue ne
groes, men and women. were scattered about the
plantations with broad, shallow trays, made OF
plated grass OF bamboo. strapped their shout
ders and supported At their waist into these they
were gathering the coffee, some already beginning
10 dry aud turn brown. while here and there was a
green one not yet quite ripe, but soon to ripeo in
the sccrchiBg sun. Little black children were sit
ting on the ground aud gathering what fell under
the bushes, singing AZ their work the moaOtonous
but rather pretty snatch of song, 10 which some
took the first and others the second, making q
not iDharmonious music. As their baskets were
filed they came 10 the administrator to receive a
little metal ticket, on which the amount of their
work was marked. task Is allotted TO each
one much 20 full grown man. so much TO
woman with young children, so much TO a child
and each one is paid for whatever he may do over
and above il. The requistion Is a very moderate
one, so that the industrious have an opportunity
of making little money Independently.
At night they all present their tickets. and are
paid on the spot for any extra work. From the
harvesting ground we followed the carts down to
the place where their burden is deposited. On
their return from the plantation the negroes d.
vide the days harvest and dispose OF il ia little
mounds on the drying ground. When pretty
equally cried, the codee IL spread out in thin
layers over the whole incosure, where it il baked
for the last time. 1t is then hulled by simple
machine in use on almost all fazendss, and the
process Is complete.