The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-11-22

still more remarkable: West Indies,
5000, Dutch East Indies; SO, 600; to-
tai, 342, 900.
The West Indian plantations wers
long neglected by their owners, who
lived in Europe, leaving them to over.
seers. Coffee culture requires con-
slant attention and cheap labor. It
is not strange, therefore, that it sought
more congenial regions. The gova
ernment supervision and the coolie
labor of Java and Ceylon were we'll
suited to it. In Java and Padang,
the Feast Indian Company knew how
to produce the best coffee at the cheap.
est rate. Ceylon rose from produc-
ton 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, fuc.
tuated good deal more in supplying
the markets. The lowest points reach
ed was 5000 tons in 1888, and the
highest was 1900 tons in 1856. The
average yearly product during the
four successive decades of years, from
1881 to 1871, has been 81 900, 5S, 600,
81, 900, and 55, 900 tons respectively.
The Brazils, with abundant black
labor, in the meantime rose to prom:-
nence in the coffee market. Begin.
ming with 1921, the average produc-
tion, per year during the four follow
ing periods of ten years, was :19, 900,
49. 600, $1,000 and IA, 600 tons. The
average then fell off to 1886 tons
during the seven years after 1851.
Among the coffee producing coun-
tries near the United States the pro-
duction of sugar has been encroach-
ing in the remarkable manner on that
of coffee. The value of sugar, only
1 cents per pound on the plantation
in 1S47, has been quadrupled since
that time, while the value of coffee
has only been doubled. Two inhu-
ences have tended to the advance; the
abolition of slavery in the West In.
dies already mentioned, and the dep
relation of gold. In Cuba, If we ex-
cept the Santiago district, coffee cul.
tivation has ceased altogether, and in
other islands. except in Porto Rico, it
has continued with varying and uncer-
tain results. s.-.,
This change of the field of produe.
ton is very important fact. When
the production was scattered over the
world, we were less subject to the
chances of "short CROP" because
the local influences of one part of the
world would not be felt in another
Now, however, the production is con-
fined to the Brazils and two large is.
lands in the Indian Ocean. A favor
able season in any one of these three
coffee raising countries produces a
marked effect in the amount and price
of the staple. To the cause of fuctu-
alton must be added the uncertainty
as TO the renewal of the Dutch East
India Company's charter. If the char
ter is not renewed labor complications
in Java will follow the auction sales
may cease, and the vessels of all ma
tions will come into competition with
those of the Dutch merchants, which
are now employed in regular order
This would produce irregularity in
transportation.
1t is an interesting fact that in Eu-
rope the consumption Of office has in
creased slowly, varying with the price
and the duties imposed, and ranging
from one pound to each person in
England to eleven pounds in Holland,
In our own country the consump-
ton in 1921 was one pound four
ounces for each person; in 1880, six
pounds; in 1851, eight and a half
pounds. Our total consumption in
1S42 was 67 900 tons in 1862 it was
only 1000 tons, and last year it was
$4,000 tons. In 1861, Europe con-
sumed 1876, 900 and the United States,
$4,000 tons-total 262, 900. In 1857
the proportion was as follows: Europe,
2S2, 1000; United States, $4,000; total
$4,000. Gin 1870; Europe, 347, 900.
United States, $4,000; total, 471,-
600. II 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,) 357, 900 tons
of coffee. The consumption in this
country has been rapidly increasing
of late, on account of the lower duty,
and the greater demand of the colored
population in the Southern Estates.
This demand is principally for Rio.
The increased demand among the
whites is mostly for Java and Marac-
aibo. The consumption will be check.
ed, of course, by the rise in value:
AS emancipation is now imminent
in the Brazils, we must be prepared
for low production in future, espe-
cially if the slaves are suddenly liberat-
ed. If 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 val
ues produced by interruption are more
permanent, therefore, 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 published must not
be taken with much credulity, as the
range of area under cultivation is 30
large that it is impossible to judge of
the crop with accuracy. The lowest
estimate of the deficiency in the crop
now given by intelligent students of
the subject are as follows: For the
Brazils, 70, 900 tons; for Java, 90 900;
for Ceylon, 10,000.-N Y. Evening
Pest.