The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-11-09
The Production of Coffee.


within few weeks advanced from III
cents to nearly II cents per pound, gold
Other descriptions OF coffee have risen
nearly as much. A glance at the history
of the coffee trade and at the influences
which have brought about the recent
changes in price will be interesting at
this time, when this sudden and great
advance in price, indicating scarcity
of coffee, is followed by to-day's news
from Brazil, the chief producing country,
that the legislature has passed the bill
for emanoipating the slaves. Fl
The abolition of slavery in the British
West Indies contributed, among other
circumstances, to disturb the regular
production of coffee. Soon after, in
1887, the West Indies, not including
Hayti, produced 10000 tons, while the
Dutch East Indies produced 10000 tons.
The total production of the world was
$4,000 tons. In 1851 the proportion
was as follows West Indies, 10000;
Dutch East Indies, $4,000 total product,
275,000. In 1868 the change of relations
appears still more remarkable: West
Indies, 5000; Dutch East Indies, $4,000;
total, 342,500.
The West Indian plantations were
long neglected by their owners, who lived
in Europe, leaving them to overseers.
Coffee culture requires constant attcn-
ton and cheap labor. 1t is not strange,
therefore, that it sought more congenial
regions. The government supervision
and the coolie labor of Java and Ceylon
were well suited to it. In Java and
Padang, the East Indian Company knew
how to produce the best coffee at the
cheapest rate. Ceylon rose from pro-
duction of $4,000 hundred weights in
1887 to ten times as much in 1851, and
this is again trebled in the present short
crop. Java, more subject to droughts
and devastating storms, huctuated
good deal more in supplying the markets.
The lowest point reached was $4,000
tons in 1888, and the highest was 1900
tons in 1866. The average yearly pro-
duct during the four successive decades
of years, from 1881 to 1871, has been
$4,000, $4,000, 81 900, and 1000 tons re-
spectively.
The Brazils, with abundant black la
Dor, in the meantime rose to prominence
in the coffee market. Beginning with
1921, the average production, per year
during the four following periods of ten
years, was: 10000, 10000, $1,000 and
$4,000 tons. The average then fell off
to 12S,0O0 tons during the seven years
after 1861.
Among the coffee producing countries
near the United States the production of
sugar has been encroaching in remark
able manner on that of coffee. The
value of sugar, only Il cents per pound
on the plantation in 1S47, has been
quadrupled since that time, while the
value of coffee has only been doubled.
Two influences have tended to the ad-
vance: the abolition of slavery in the
West Indies already mentioned, and the
depreciation of gold. In Cuba, if we ex-
cept the Santiago district, coffee cultiva-
tion has ceased altogether, and in other
islands, except in Porto Rico, it has con-
tnued with varying and uncertain re-
suits.
This change of the field of production
is q very important fact. When the
production was scattered over the world,
we were less subject to the chances Of q
short CROP" because the local influences
of one part of the world would not be
felt in another. Now, however, the pro-
duction is confined to the Brazils and
two large islands in the Indian Ocean.
A favorable or unfavorable season in
any one of these three coffee raising
countries produces a marked effect in
the amount and price of the staple. To
this cause of tuctuation must be added
the uncertainty as to the renewal of the
Dutch East India Company's charter.
1t the charter is not renewed labor COM
plications in Java will follow; the auc-
ton sales may cease, and the vessels of
all nations will come into competition
with those of the Dutch merchants,
which are now employed in regular or
der. This would produce irregularity in
transportation.
1t is an interesting fact that in Europe
the consumption of coffee has increased
slowly, varying with the price and the
duties imposed. and ranging from one
pound tor each person in England to
eleven pounds in Holland.
In our own country the consumption
III 1921 was one pound four ounces for
each person; in 1889, six pounds; in
1851, eight and half pounds. Our
total consumption in 1912 was $1,000
tons in 1862 it was only 10000 tons,
and last year it was $4,000 tons. In
1851, Europe consumed 10000 and the
United States, 10000 tons-total 262,-
600. In 1867 the proportion was as fol-
lows: Europe, 1000; United States,
$4,000; total $4,000. In 1870 Europe,
$4,000; United States, $4,000; total,
47l,OOO. If our population numbers one
hundred millions in the year 1900, as
many predict that it will, we should
consume at the present rate per person
(nearly eight pounds,) $4,000 tons of
coffee. The consumption in this country
has been rapidly increasing of late, on
account of the lower duty, and the great
er demand of the colored population in
the Southern States. This demand is
principally for Rio. The increased de-
mand among the whites is mostly for
Java and Maracaibo. The consumption
will be checked, of course, by the rise in
value.
As emancipation is now imminent in
the Brazils, we must be prepared for q
low production in the future, especially
ii the slaves are suddenly liberated. II
the coffee production of country is
once interrupted it requires time to fill
the vacancy in the market, because the
coffee tree does not begin to bear until
its fifth year. High values produced by
interruption are more permanent, there
fore, in the coffee trade than in any
other, except in the case of certain
spices. The estimates of the short crops
however, which are now made and pub
lished must not be taken with too mucb