The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-05-09
COFFEE CULTURE.
How the Worlds Favorite Berry Is Born.
Its Life.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
CARACAS, Venezuela, April co. have
recently visited the typical coffee hacienda
near the coast mountain called ia Silla"
the Saddle, from the old seaport of Caracas,
La Guaira. 1t is one of the many owned
by the virtual and several times constitu-
tional ruler of Venezuela, Guzman Blahco,
who is said to be a twenty millionaire at
least The plantation is an extensive and
thrifty one, admirably situated for the pro.
duction of good coffee, and well conducted
by its overseer, middle aged man having
the appearance of mixed Spanish and Indian
blood. The cottage to which we were well
coined cordially by the master is situated at
the lower edge of the plantation, built neatly
Of poles, clay, plaster and tile, shaded by
fruit trees, and near it are little patch of
banana plants and a pool bordered with
plants Of the lily family, with leaves two
feet or more in width. Below, across the
road, are the building and Enclosure where
the coffee is prepared for market, and large
cistern for the storage of water when neces-
sary to use in 'pulping" the coffee.
While we rested little after our hard ride
we were provided with cigarettes, which are
in use by most people in the tropics, and at
call Of "Carita! trae fuegol" pet, bring some
fred the pretty little brown daughter of our
host came in smiling, with a small brazier in
her hand containing lighted charcoal, which
we used instead of matches. After "Gra-
cias, ninetal" Thanks, little girlD we sat
smoking and asking questions in the shade,
and gazing up the mountain side through
long vistas Of well grown trees, regularly
planted, beneath which in as regular rows at
much less distances apart were the coffee
plants, forming under the greater forest a
miniature one with shining green leaves
abundant white flowers, and lending to the
air an odor as agreeable as that of well made
coffee itself, though very different.
The coffee plant, indigenous to Arabia
and Abyssinia, grows to a height of about
twenty feet. Each berry contains two Seeds
enveloped in thin membrane, and the free
ing of the grains is big part of preparing
coffee for market.
Coffee thrives best upon well watered and
fertile mountain slopes, between ATTITUDES
Is degs. north and south Of the equator, and
sometimes, as in America, as far as % degs.
north and 30 degs south, where the tempera-
ture does not fall below So degs Fahrenheit.
Although the plants may bear blossoms at
any season, unless the conditions are favor
able there is no fruit, and the conditions upon
the American continent make November the
principal harvest month, especially in Brazil,
whence most of our coffee comes.
The plants are set out ten to fifteen feet
apart, in regular rows, being transplanted
from the nursery or from pots, where they
are grown in the shade until they are two
years old, or in the latter case year old, or
in many cases root shoots of mature plants
are used. In Venezuela and Colombia rap.
idly growing trees with wide branching tops
are set in rows sufficiently wide so that the
ground is entirely shaded and the coffee
plants protected from the sun; but in Brazil
and Africa this protection is not usually pro-
vided. The plants come into light bearing in
three to four years, and full bearing in six
years, and in the meantime crops of corn and
mandioca are cultivated between them, which
helps keep the ground clean, and often gives
returns which cover the cost of establishing
the plantation. Indeed, coffee planters often
give the use Of the ground and the coffee
gathered, including the fourth year, to labor
ers for preparing the ground and caring for
the trees during that period, as fair remu-
neration. They thus obtain plantation in
a thrifty and productive condition, without
cost, which will last thirty years.
Both young plants in the vivero or nursery,
and older ones in the fields, need plenty of
moisture at their roots, and the latter require
training SO that there may be sufficient room
for the circulation of air and for light be-
tween their branches and trunks.
In the gathering season the berries are
picked into shallow baskets, rapidly and
steadily from morning until night, the tropi-
cal day extending from six to six, sunrise to
sunset, and the work perhaps little longer.
In Brazil, where slavery is to cease in 1892,
the slaves are now worked seventeen hours
out of the twenty-four upon some coffee plan
tations. Each person gathers berries enough
in day to yield from thirty to fifty pounds
Of dry coffee. There is considerable differ
ence in the size Of berries and yield of plants,
to location and excellence Of cul.
ture. In South America the trees at six
years Of age and kept down for convenience
to about six feet in height, yield from two to
five pounds Of coffee each.