Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-06-09
ordinary results. and gives an annual pront Of
FROM PLANTATION TO MILL.

fkOA PLANTATION TO MILL.
Nothing can be more beautiful and Interesting
than studies OF the annual blooming, budding
growth and ripening OF coffee, and its gathering
and preparation for the market. The leaves, which
are oyate In form, are about inches long. They
SCI opposite each other, in pairs, and are dark
ieal, they have the waxen surface OF the Indian
laurel The foliage Is perennial. shooting out
manner OF our cherry blooms, are seen the coffee
blossoms, almost precisely like a dimnutive tube
r0e IN clusters OF three to six, snow white ana
cious odor. For two months in spring-time
conee plantation is simply one vast plain OF white
region OF intoxicating odor, with the blue sky
half shut from sight by myriads OF honey seeking
butterflies, humming-birds, and Dr1ll1ant-winged
songsters, f1uttering and crcling In apparent &C.
six months new blossoms come as the old
ones disappear. Blossoms and ripening ber-
rles are continuous. As the breezes snow the
dying blossoms upon the ground, tiny green but
tons take their place. These are the growing
frnit They change to pale pink; finally TO
ering. In Arabia where the climate permits the
rpening and drying or the berries upon the tree,
II IS gathered by shaking the berries upon blank
cts laid beneath Here 1t Is picked In baskets,
piled at convenient places, and drawn in carts TO
the quarters and at once put in great estanqueS or
or Cherry" and IS given .t2ree waters. that is
stirred thoroughly in three changes OF fresh wa
Ter, Which removes the saccharfne and floats into
other tanks refuse ana worthless berries III Is
then spread upon secaderoS or drying places.
These are nat platforms OF cement and charcoal,
Into the baSin-llke portion OF which the drying
coffee is drawn at O'Clock, each afternoon, In
piles and covered for protection from night dews
with casillas or manaca palm-eaf coops- ms
process Is continued almost three weeks, or until
the coffee is proven," that is dry enough 10 per-
nit removal oil the second Skn the real shell OF
the berry, when 1t is called pergamo.
IN THE MILL
1t is now taken to the warehouse and stored for
a time TO "gain color" and then TO the molino or
mill where it is run through heavy wooden
rollers. This breaks the brittle shell and separates
the twin berries. Then ayentador or huge
winnOwing machine removes from the mass OF
grayish yellow seeds the cha1 collected at the
mOlino. IL IS now said to be IN "orO, or In Its
golden state, from It's color and is now taken back
10 the mill through which IL is run with dry corn
huskS for friction and polish 1t is again win
moved, and is then piled upon porch-oors, or many
convenient receptacleS, and 'culled" the broken
and small dark beans being removed, this residue,
which Is supplied TO the negro aborers for coffee
being called trirache. There is but one more pro-
CESS The single or raw .male" berry is extra
ordinarily priced, and commands the highest
price The coffee Is separated by being shunted
down incl!ning board frames from which the
round berries, or cafe de caracolliO, rolls TO
stationary benches while the double, nat, beans
remain. After this rapid assortment 1t Is weighed
In hundred pound SACKS, or quintals, and Is ready
for tue market at Trinidad 10 which picturesque
old city every pound is conveyed on the backs Of
dOnkeys and mules. EDGAR L. WAKEMAN.