Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-09-21
THE COFFEE PLANT.
Interesting Description of Coffee Raising
in India.

clear idea of the agricultural processes
which render such indulgence possible"
remarked George Anderson, of Mysore,
India, an elderly gentleman, with silyery
mutton-chop whiskers, keen gray eyes, and
the tawny sallow complexion which seems
to be inseparable from the resident Of the
land of torrid suns and diseased livers, as
he smoked an after-dinner cheroot in the
lobby of the Russell House yesterday after
noon. ~ know all about it from long
series of years of actual experience in cof
fee raising. | have been a resident of
Mysore, India, for an unbroken period Of
twenty-seven years. / went out to that
country as very young man, when the
possibilities of civilization were all before
it. | have never had reason to regret
doing so. If you are familiar with the
geography of India, you are aware that
Mysore is blessed with a delightful eli
mate, something which cannot be said of
many portions of that great and rapidly
progressing country. experienced hotter
weather in Salt Lake City, since coming to
this country, a few weeks ago, than have
ever known in Mysore during the entire
period of my residence"
"Are you a coffee planter ?" was in
quired.
'That has been my business for many
years." replied Mr.. Anderson, igniting
some sort of q long, lanky looking roll of
tobacco, which bore unmistakable evidence
of heather birth. 81 viii endeavor briefly
to give you some sort of an idea of what it
means to be a coffee-planter in India. In
the first place, you must understand that
the refreshing rains which water the vege-
nf Mt nv Il
unknown in India for months together.
Drought is the great enemy with which all
agriculturists are forced to contend. This
atmospheric condition is the greatest oh
stacle with which we have to battle and it
has made India the most prolific country
in the world in the matter of inventing
and pelfecting all sorts of irrigating pro-
cesses. In that one particular at least we
easily lead all other civilized countries to-
day. Coffee plants, or trees, as they may
very properly be termed are planted five
feet apart in each direction. Everything
has to be done by hand There is no such
thing as labor-saving machinery known in
connection with the business Its use
would be impossible. The tops of the
coffee shrubs are cut out to force them to
shoot out horizontally, instead of into the
air But the coffee bushes on a planta-
tion are not the only adjunct of the business
which requires cultivation. On account of
the drought and the torrid suns, every
inch of the plantation must be fully pro-
tected by shade trees. Where this is not
done, the fruit shrivels up and becomes
worthless without ripening. Experience
has taught US in India that the only really
desirable trees for shade purposes are the
silyer-leaved variety The rays of the
sun seem to penetrate all others and the
labor of cultivating them is wasted.
We generally shade our coffee planta-
tions with part or all of the eighteen or
twenty varieties of fig trees indigenous to
the country. Where these trees are not
properly located they must be planted and
cultivated. No branches are allowed
within twenty-five or thirty feet of the
ground, and annual trimming and prun-
ing of both the coffee trees and the big
trees which shade them are absolutely
necessary. You can doubtless form some
idea OF the immense amount of labor
which this process entails. There is no
more beautiful sight, however, than
properly cared for coffee plantation after
it has reached maturity. The green
bushes in regular rows below and the
equally green trees towering above them
with protecting arms form very pretty
picture.
"ln May the coffeesbushes are in full
bloom, the white blossoms, something
after the mignonette order, causing the
perspective to resemble waving, palpi-
tating field of virgin snow. The picking
of the berries begins in November and
continues until February. As | have
said, all labor is done by hand, and
regularly employ about six hundred
coolies in managing my plantation The
picking process is naturally tedious one
but labor is cheap in India. If such
were not the case, coffee wculd be lux
ury which few would be able to afford ,"
"What does the coffee berry resemble
before 1t is pluc&ed from the bushes?" was
asked.
Mr.. Anderson smiled.
81 fear you would have some difficulty
in recognizing it at that stage of the pro-
ceedings," he replied. "In color it is A
brilliant red, looking very much like a
large ripe cherry The berries of which
the beverage is made are, in reality, the
stone of the fruit. The pulpy substance
by which they are surrounded is sweet in
taste, but has never been utilized for any
purpose. At one time sort of liquor was
manufactured from it, but it failed to win
Its way into public favor. After tasting it,
you would not be surprised that such was
the case. Two coffee berries are contained
IN each of these cherries, or fruit bulbs.
Alter being plucked from the bushes, the
fruit is placed in vats and process of fer
mentatIon takes place, which separates
the pulp from the berry. The latter is
then subjected to more mechanical devices.
which remove the remaining film. When
the product reaches the coast, a sort of
securing process is undergone which
places it in the condition for market-a
condition with which you are familiar
What is the average yield of coffee
bush p
Zone pound Of the prepared berry is
very fair average per bush The yield
more often falls under that figure than
goes above it"
DO you export your own product?"
Entirely. | have no dealings with
middle men. After a quarter of a century
of experience, / pronounce that as by all
odds the most profitable plan to pursue"
is the society of Mysore desirable?"
The best in the world was the en-
phatic reply. india escapes the adverse
social influences with which most countries
are afflicted. Only men with an honest
desire to get on in the world come to that
country. 1t is no place for unprincipled
adventures. There is nothing for them to
prey upon. Bangalore, my nearest large
city upon the coast, is well advanced in
everything which renders a city great
Detroit Free Press.