The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1883-06-02
Coffee Culture in Brazil.

Although Brazil stands at the head Of coffee
producing countries, its culture therein does not
enjoy the benefits either of small isrMs or OF
free labor. The plantations are very extensive,
and are wsrked almost wholly by slaves. The
bnlk of the crop is grown in the province OF
Rio de Janeiro and the adjoining provinces OF
San Paulo and Minas Geraes, aud mostly on
hillsides.
The soil Is tolerabiy we'll hoed, but not
MANFRED. The first blossoming Of the coffee
tree occurs IN September, and II second one in
November. Harvesting commences about April
or May, and the crops begin ID arrive in the
market in Juue or Juiy. Ii il sometimes injured
by being left too long Ii tins on the ground after
il has been picked. What - known III the
market rs wi-sheti coffee. being. however,
but a small proportion, IL that which has been
picked befol- iniiy rape and white ;h- iruit has =
red and cherty~iike aPpearanc-, HU,t then put
into water and the ternei- separated from the
hail by washing. In the market il has ~
almost polished and sii'ery appearance, aud is g
f4ncy article. But usually coffee - hulled ii
thrashed-and mschauically-atter il is ripe
and dry. From the plantation it is IIken i'll
coarse sacks, which bear the planters uune,
are afterwards returned TO him on mules or in
o4-cart7, to the nearest railway station, whence
it j. cIrr.-d On the government railway at
ven high rates OF transportation.
Arrived at the market, ii has before shipment
to GO through several hands, each taking u
liberal profit. First, into the hands Of the
planter : agent, generally The creditor of the
DsblllSE lIlQ lit tuaISCS iGCLA S4 10 Twelve
per cent interest for loans. The agent sells the
coffee to The - dealer snd charges the planter
three per cent Of the price for his services. The
dealer then manIpulates the coffee, mixing diff
feTeut sorts together, and puts it into bags. He
makes his sales to the exporter through O broker,
who receives so refs (abCEt 2 cents from the
exporter on each bag. The brokers charges
has been fixed by law at 0ne-6fth pei cent Of the
value IF the coffee. but the Law is not enforced.
Besides these brokerage charges there ire hear,
expenses for carriage.
As soon - the coffee arrives At Rio il il
conveyed from the railway sutton to the
and from thence to the docks ~ piuce 81 ship
nent, being transported each uaI= through
narrow streets by mule power, ana handled br
costly labor. Ia all these carriages since leaving
the plantation there II considerable maatage.
An export duty on coffee il collected by uhe
Brazilian Government. Fer d long time tbis
tax remained 1T thirteen per cent On M average
valuation nNed by the authorities. The Ia. was
reduced on November Is Il, md Is now eleven
per cent. During the year ended June 20,
1881. the total eIporLOi coffee IRON Brazil Was
was 81 1876, $50. The consul says that sixty and a
half per cent of the coffee exported wsnt 80 the
United States, and on that quantity the export
dutie5 amounted 10 -, 532, 900, which probably
Tell about equally on the American consumer
aud Brazilian producer.
While coffee is admitted Tree OF dGtv into the
United States, most other countries colleen z
heavy duty on raw coffee. Thus the total duties
III European countries are about a. follows
Britain. 3 cents Sweden, 3 cents Russia, ~
cents Germany ~ cents Norway, , cents
Austria. : cents Italy, IL cents and France,
II cents.