, 1888-06-10

These are rare instances, however, and
the quality seems to suffer when extra
ordinary productiveness is secured. This
point is given the closest study and atten-
ton. To secure the greatest yield per 100
trees and yet retain required quality, is
precisely wherein lies the best possibilities
with the coffee grower. And here neces-
sarily follows the wisest husbandry in
cultivation and pruning. A coffee orchard
requires just about the same care in cult
walton as a first class American farmer
will expend upon a well kept field of corn.
Perhaps a tri1e more hoeing and wedding
are required. owing to the luxuriance of
all tropical vegetation. There is also much
in proper pruning. If left to grow at
will the coffee tree would attain a height
of from 25 to 30 feet. But convenience
in gathering the fruit; betterment of
quality and increase of productiveness,
are all attained by constant pruning. The
height of the tree is thus always kept be-
low six feet, a pyramidal form is retained,
the lower branches being permitted con-
siderable growth laterally, and many
branches, twigs and all deadening materi-
al are removed, for the best conditions
require that both blossom and fruit have
an abundance of air and sunshine.
OF the extraordinary profits OF coffee
culture there can be no question. Under
the slavery regime of Cuba it cost no
more thar two cents per pound to pro-
duce it ready for the market. Under the
most expensive system of free labor. for
instance by the American system of farm
labOr-and | confidently assert that white
as well as black, men could labor with no
danger to health in this rare climate,
tempered as it really is by cooling breezes
by day from the sea and gentle land
winds by Nights cost of production
could not be greater than five cents in
gold per pound. Five cents per pound
more will deliver it free in the best mar
kets of the world. 1t will always bring
at first hands from eighteen TO twenty
cents per pound. Your average planta-
ton of loo, 600 trees, in a period of TWEEN
ty years, accounting for all poor crops,
will average at the lowest an annual yield
of one and a half pounds per tree. This
estimate is far below ordinary results, and
gives an annual profit of $4,000 in gold.
Nothing can be more beautiful and in
teresting than studies of the annual
blooming, budding growth and ripening
of coffee and its gathering and prepare.
ton for the market. The leaves, which
are ovate in form, are about four inches
long. They set opposite each other in
pairs, and are dark green in color. SINH
lar in texture to the mammee leaf, they
have the waxen surface of the Indian
laurel. The foliage is perennial. Shoot
ing out from the bases of these pairs of
leaves, after the manner of our cherry
blooms, are seen the coffee blossoms,
almost precisely like a %diminutive tuber-
rAgn - al,,1k,r, &c -. .--
white, and with an indescribably delicate,
months in s%pringtime a coffee plantation
of Intoxicating odor, with the blue sky
half shut from sight by myriads of honey
seeking butterflies, humming birds and
brilliant winged songsters, iuttering and
clrcling in an apparent ecstacy OF revelry
and delight.
I For nearly six months new blossoms
come as the old ones disappear. Blossom
and ripening berries are continuous. AS
the breezes snow the dying blossoms upon
the ground tiny green buttons take their
place. These are the growing fruit. They
change to a pale pink; then to a bright
cherry; finally to a reddish pun pie. Then
it is ripe and ready for gathering. In
Arabia, where the climate permits the
ripening and drying of the berries on the
tree, it is gathered by shaking the berries
upon blankets laid beneath. Here it is
picked in baskets, piled at convenient
places and drawn in carts to the quarters
and at once put in great estanques or
tanks of cement. At this stage it is
called cereza, or cherry" and is given
three waters;' hat is, stirred thoroughly
in three changes of fresh water, which re-
moves the sa ,charine and floats into other
tanks refuse and worthless berries. 1t is
then spread upon secaderos or drying
places. These are fiat platforms of cement
and charcoal, into the basin like circular
portion of which the drying coffee is
drawn a 3 o'clock each afternoon in piles
and covered for protection from night
dews with casillas or menaca palm leaf
coops. This process is continued almost
three weeks or until the coffee is "proven,"
that is dry enough to permit removal of
the second skin, or the real shell of the
berry, when it is called pergamo.
1t is now taken to the warehouse and
stored for a time to gain color, " and
then to the moline or mill where it is run
through heavy wooden rollers. This
breaks the brittle shell and separates the
twin berries. Then an avrntador or huge
WlnnoWlng machine removes IRON the
mass of grayish yellow seeds the chat
collected at the molino. 1t is now said
to be in "oro," or in its golden state,
from its color, and is now taken back to
the mill through which 1t is run with dry
corn husks for friction and polish. 1t is
again winnowed and is then piled upon
porch floors or in any convenient recepta-
cles and ''culled," the broken and small
dark beans being removed, this residue,
which is supplied to the negro laborers for
coffee, being called trirache. There is
but one more process. The single or raw
male" berry Is extraordinarily priced
and commands the highest price. The
coffee is separated by being shunted down
lncliDing board frames from which the
round berries, or cafe de caracollio, rolls
to stationary benches while the double, or
fiat, beans remain. After this rapid as
sortment it is weighed in 100. pound
sacks, or quintals, and is ready for the
market at Trinidad, to which picturesque
old city every pound is conveyed on the
backs of donkeys and mules.
EDGAR L. WAKEMAN.