The union Democrat., 1870-05-14
SONORA TUOLUMNE COUNTY, MAY IA. $780,
Costa Rica Coffee growing.

Tae manner of cnltiyasing the coffee-plant
varies but little in the several Central Ameri-
can States, ard short sketch of how their
favorite beverage is produced, may be inter
esting to all good coffee-drinkers
The co.fee-beans are FIRST planted in hCt-
beds, from which, in few months, they
sproct. and shoot up 1--WE or six inches high,
when they are removed singly, and taken to
the fields which have been prepared to re-
ceiye them. There, the young sprouts are
planted anew, In rows, with space of from
four to six feet between each plant. For two
years they need no more care, except an oc-
casional piowing out of the weeds which
spring up around them. The third year, the
plant is from three to four feet high, and COM
mences to bear. producing about pound o!
coffee fruit. Each year adds to the size an6
prodnctiveness of the tree. till it reaches
about ten feet in height; after which it gives
q product of from twenty to thirty pounds oi
green fruit.
The coffee fruit resembles in shape, size,
and color, plump cranberry, and grows
clinging closely to the small, lateral branch.
es of the tree; so that the hand can strip OF
at once the fifty or more berries branch
may bear. On some plantations, the trees
are dwarfed, for the double purpose of in.
creasing the truitage and facilitating the pick
ing.
The time of picking the crop varies accor-
ding to the locality. but ranges, on this coast,
from December to March. When the fruit is
ripe, all hands are employed-men, women
ard children-and, as fast as picked, the ber-
ries are sent to the mills, which, arranged
something like corn shelters, remove the pull
py coverings-leaving the kernels, which
are Immediately spread out in the sun 20 dry.
At this time the skies are watched carefully,
and, in case of rain, the kernels are rapidly
gathered under shelter, as rain upon them,
while drying, would cause an irreparable i'll
Jury; and, on some plantations, machines for
drying by hot air have been introduced. Az
ter few days in the sun, the kernels become
dry and crispy they are then thrown into a
circular trough, and large wooden rollers,
shod with iron, crush the shell, and literate
the two beans which each shell contains
The bean has still another .coating-its
skin which is the hardest of all to re-
move, but, through long continued attrition
with the iron-shod rollers, this. also, is most
ly removed and then the fanniDg-mll cleans
the bean, by blowing away the loosened skin
and broken shells.
But the most expensive part of the process
is now to come. Before long tables sit the
natives, young and old, chattering, laughing
and singing as they work, and On these Ia
bles are poured the beaUs as they come from,
the tanning mill. Each Indian holds bas-
ket in her or his lap, and with both hands
rapidly picks oct, separately. every perfect
bean, till there remains on the table nothing
but broken and imperfect coffee, of no velue.
The hands are paid. at this work, so much per
quintal, of one hundred pounds, and skillful
pickers make good wages. 1t takes Goo
pounds of the fruit. rs itcomes from the tree,
to produce one hundred pounds of clean mark
etable cofee-and vet it pays.-"From Mer-
ico to Costa Rica," in OVERLAND MONTHLY
for Way.