Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-11-28
COFFEE DYING OUT.
Possible Substitutes for Our Old and Favor
tie Breakfast Beverage.

1t is believed by some authorities that
the worlds production of coffee will soon
be inadequate for the demand, owing to
the spread Of the disease which has caused
so great mortality among the coffee trees
in Ceylon. The probability is, however,
that some means of preventing the further
course of the disease will be discovered be-
fore the production is seriously affected,
says the Merchants Review. The ravage
of the ply lloXera among the European
vineyards was for some years terribly de-
struct1ve but, finally a remedy was discover
ed and the insect is no longer feared.
There Is no reason why human ingenuity
should not be as successful In combating
the enemies of the coffee-tree as it had been
III the case of the destroyer of the vine
The high price at which coffee has ruled
for several years has made coffee-planting
a very profitable business and given a de-
cided impetus to production; therefore, in
stead of falling off the worlds supply
should steadily increase. But if the fears
of the pessimists should be justified by re-
suits there ought to be no difficulty in
selecting a suitable substitute from the
many that have been discovered at vario us
times.
Two new cases have lately been mention
ed as likely to suit the palates of coffee-con-
sulners if they should be cut off from the
enjoyment of their favorite bean. One is
the fruit of the 'mussaensia, species of
orange which grows in Reunion. It is
said that it possesses an aroma fully equal
to that Of coffee and can be cultivated at a
comparatively trihing cost. The French
colonial government has already given in
structiOn for planting the 'mussaensia' -
shrub over a considerable area in the high
grounds, which are most favorable for the
cultivation Of this plant It has been cal
culated that the annual production of mus
| saensia In Reunion may shortly reach g.
100000 Kilograms.
The second of the new substitutes is the
kola nut. As stimulant and and an art
| lcle Of food, possessing the essential quail
| ties of coffee, it is said to be even richer.
| The kola nut is indigenous in western
Africa. but has been produced in other
tropical countries and is, In fact. now grow
ing In Ceylon Hitherto this product
has been chiefly put to medicinal uses,
but its acceptability as a beverage is grow
ing, says the Ceylon Mail, and it has a
! high value. because of its power of enabl-
| ing men to sustain great effort or to endure
prolonged fasting Nothing is said as to
| the price at which this article can be pro-
duced nor as to It's capacity to compete
commercially with coffee, probably because
the cultivation has not been carried on up
on a large scale.
The Mail is of the opinion, too, that the
plant may be made more productive than it
now Is. little effort having hitherto been
made to raise it above the state In which
1t is found growing wild in the countries
where 1t Is indigenous. Since the successful
introduction of tea into Ceylon strong
desire has been manifested In theisland to
promote the cultivation of new products,
and it is possible the present proposal may
lead to useful results fit should be adopt
ed the experiment viii be watched with
great interest