The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-10-23
OUR COFFEE.

tudt SOuAtIy, WHICH lb CuitlfAb0u IIoA
the river Amazon southwark to San Pau
| 10, and from the coast westward so far a,
the western limits of Motto Crosse, o.
over section of country more than hal
the area of the United States. The cof
fee crop of Brazil in 1877 was $40, SOC, COZ
! pounds of which the United States, the
greatest coffee consuming country in the
world, received 2O5, POS, 1916 pounds
which comes into the United States duty
free, or without tax. In France the i'm
port tax is Is cents per pound. Brazil
levies tax to coffee producers on all thai
is sent out of that country.
Brazil furnishes about one-half of all
the coffee consumed. In that country
attention is paid to the increasing of the
quantity and bettering of the quality,
with such success that coffee is growing
better each year.
In order to get the crop from the inte-
rior to the sea-shore, on its way to mark
ct, the Brazilians have been compelled to
be enterprising-many of them against
their will. To this end they have con-
structed railways whereby the planters
can get their crops quickly to market and
thus secure return OF some other artic-
les, or perhaps for which they barter or
give their coffee in exchange.
Fifteen years ago, before the building
OF the San Paulc railway, from 10000 to
100000 mules were sold each year at the
Soro Cabo Fair. Now scarcely 10000
mules are sold there each year.
When it was proposed to build rail
roads those who were engaged in the
raising of mules objected seriously, de-
claring that the building of railroad
would destroy their business, and that
they were justified in opposing it. They
declared that the introduction of mach
inery was nothing more than scheme to
impoverish laborers, and to bankrupt
those who had invested their means in
grazing grounds and stock.
Railroads were built, however, and
this because enterprise being more push
ing than laziness, will work its way to
the front. Then it was that many per-
sons who had previously been engaged
in the raising OF mules, Immediately
turned their attention to the raising of
coffee, greatly bettering their condition
thereby, so that in few years the
amount of coffee in that district, as pro-
eseed by the cultivators of the soil, was
raised from 800, 900 sacks yearly to 1,000,-
100000. Neither men nor animals are
worked SO severely now as they were pre-
vious to the introduction Of machinery,
while comforts of all kinds have increas-
ed and intelligence is something that the
people now begin to boast Of.
By the sale of coffee, which is the
great staple of that country, those who
are engaged in its production are now
coming to possess themselves of the va
rious articles manufactured by the intel
ligent, skilled workmen in other coun-
tries. They are not seeking to accumu-
late money; but to exchange or barter
their commodities through the channels
OF commerce for the productions of their
own lands. So it is that they are bring
ing their homes up further out of the
ground, enlarging the size of their arm
les, making their places of habitation
more beautiful, filling them with carpets
and books, which in the years past were
unknown to them. They are also turn
ing their attention to schools more than
ever before, while the pace of the people
is greater now than ever before known.
1t is not gold that these people are after,
but the creature comforts Of life, to OBJ
tain which they are paying raore 5iligent
attention to the cultivation of their farm
and plantation lands, even as they ere
shortening their hours of labor and add
ing to the hours they set apart for recrea-
ton, education and enjoyment.
Coffee is a plant of Turkish origin or
discovery. Many years ago some person
with speculative turn of mind, began
experimenting with the seeds of the plant
which were discovered to be growing in
great profusion in Southern Abyssinia in
the district of Koffa, from which the
name Coffee. The plant also grows we'll
in many places in Western Africa. 1t
thrives only in warm situations upon the
slopes of hills, and in soil not retentive
OF rain. Its cultivation Is now carried
on in nearly all the tropical countries,
especially Brazil, Javo, Ceylon, Sumatra,
the Isle OF Reunion, along the western
coast of India, Arabia, Abyssinia, West
Indies, Central America, Venezuela,
Guiana, Peru, Bolivia and few of the
Pacific Islands.
The coffee plant reaches height vary
ing from eighth to thirty feet. The
trunk is covered with grayish bark,
something like beech. White flowers
put out in thick clusters around the
branches, then comes the fruit, the seed,
or the berry in like clusters. The plant
is usually kept down by pruning, SO that
it does not rise more than FIVE feet in
height.
This increases the productiveness, and
adds to the convenience in gathering the
berries. The slender, pliable branches
spread out and bend down like those oi
apple trees. The plants are raised from
the seed in nurseries, and when a yea,
old are transplanted and set out in rows.
In three years the young plants begin to
yield fruit, but they are not expected to
do their best until Ave years old, when
they may be counted upon as valuable,
and for the next twenty years, with pro-
per care, give fruit.