New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-27
GLIMPSES OF BRAZIL.
FAzENDAS AND COFFEE-FARMING.

coyygEcLAo MoRRos - ONE or TIE
MOST DIFFICULT BRANCHES OF
AGRICULTURE.
fvsou sfAvv cosH vsroxpSSr oV TREfnisrSR.l
BARN do Pirahy. January 2.
The coffee. producing area VI Brazil comprises
two brlis known a. the Flo zone. Influenced by
"a brsexes and q maritime climate. and the San
Psulo or Campinas zone. which has doubic
barrier of mountains between IL and the sea. anu
n affected by the winds sweeping upward from
the Argentine plains. The Rio zone comprises
the valley OF the Parahyba, which risrs IN the
mountains not far from the city Of San Paulo ind
Yuns parallel with the coast. between tw" ranges
Of mountains, the Scrro do Mar aud the Sierra
NansouSir. until II emptles into the Atlantic.
north OF Cane Thoma. The zone includes the
provinces Of Rio de Janciro. and portions OF the
Provinces Of San Paula Minas Gerars ana
Espir.ss Banto Coffee can only he successfully
cultivated st given levels above the sra The
hest districts Of this region are CantAGollo ana
Jsls de Fora. TIE Sun Psulo gone eensls@ OF
an immense area Of table lands. sheltered ny Sra
hoard mountains, but open 70 the pamperos or
southwest winds This Il the newer zone. ana
tie hreest and most fruitful coffee shruos are
found In II. II 10 q district Of elevated pla'eaus
ssd undulating hills. The Rio gone more
meuntsipous. Seveml serras split up the Province
Of Rio de Janeiro, and Rave ranges OF hinldes
On which the coffee plantations are Atuated
Some of the fazendas are of enormous size. con-
tainine from 1900 10 900, 900 shrubs There
are COFFEE princes who own over 5.0oo.ooo on
connected estates
There il no crop In the world that requires
such unremitting care as coffee. Planters WHO
come % Brasil under tlH impression that they
have only to sit under thr shade OF palm trees
and amass great fortunes by the sheer bounty OF
the soil are speedily undeceived when they nave
established Themselves on their fazendas. or cores
farms. The cultivation Of coffee il one OF the
most difficult and complex Of the agricultural
Arts. and both the agrarian and labor conditions
aombine 70 make IL one OF the most uncertain
and hazardous branches Of farming. There ore
coffee princes owning enormous farms. Who have
made great fortunes, but the majority OF The
fazondciros are ta-day heavily in debt, with their
estates virtually owned by money lenders or 10y
the Rio bankers under mortgages Emancipation
by the stroke VI the Princess Regents pen COM
pleted their ruin. Their property In the form OF
slaves was virtually cOnfscated. Their land re-
naias, and II they can have succession OF favor
able coffee years they may succefd la getting
their heads above water: but as matters s'ahd
Q general liquidation In the coffee provinces cannot
he deferred many years. Coffee at present prices
does not pay for the cost Of production. and flf
heavy transportation charges to the sraboard'
Even II the planters could depend upon obtaining
ADEQUATE supplies Of labor at critical times OF the
year, few of them would have margin for proiio
as current rates after paying the interest on tifr
mortgages. Many Of the small farms are con-
verted every year into market garoens' where
maize, rice. beans. eggs. butter and bacon are
mroAased. coffee becouhng o secondary crop.
Ihsse planters at once lose prestige. and are
Yidieuled a. quitandeiros. . name derived from
the negresses selling fruit from baskets carried
On their heads Az most Of them ere doing
veil. they can afford to be laughed 1t by the
os6ee erandees. who are at the mercy Of indolent
freedmen and Rio Shylocks.
The coffee shrub has been cultivated In Brasil
about $50 years, having been originally imported
from Cayenne. II was introduced at various
sorts along the coast from Para TO Rio Grande
do Sui. but IL found the climate which IL required
in the Province Of Rio de Janeiro. Up TO that
time Minas Geraes, with It's gold and diamond
mines, had been the hest known province. and
the scaboaId territories had been neglected. The
cultivation Of coffee restored the supremacy Of
TIE maritime provinces. and converted Brazil Int"
enc of the most productive agricultural countries
in tbe world. When the Rio belt gave signs Of
exhaustion under persistent coffee growing without
the aid Of fertilizers the Santos or Camplnas belt
wa opeued with extraordinary results. tie shrub
growing there to greater height and yielding
. larger measure Of fruit than in the older dis
trict. The production Of Brazilian coffee has
steodily increased decade after decade until 1t
u now between 100000 and 100000 bags a
year. Such crop rs this under natural condi-
eens Of labor would suffice TO make the coffee
fHrmers Yich. Most Of them are financially
embarrassed, and live their fazendas in the
simplest style, allowing themselves few luXuries
end only the bare comforts Of life.
A one journeys from Rio " San Panic he paSsc'
fhrsvGh Q portion Of the older coffee belt. Wher
- aeaboard mountains are scaled no scener.
could Be more monotonous and wesrisome. Moro
vhish are Of the night elevation-for the croI
y . failure II the shrub I've planted either toe
high or 700 low-presnt irregular lines OF cultiva
eou. There are 10 palms, no shade-trees abou
We fasendas or plantations. There In simpi,
lonR patch Of coffee shrubs among barren ant
unsultivated lands stretching as far as the ey
eaa reach The fazendas lie . long distanc
spart. and villages and towns are few in number
There arc no roads TO he seen from the ca
windows. There are no signs Of animal life 0
asme in the grass fields and low brushwOod
An occasional line Of rounded hillsides plante'
with coffee is the only indication Of humal
activity as the train crawls through the Parahyb
Valley. In the upper sections Of the Campina
4 coffee belt the scenery is unusually bare. tn
srrados anording only blank project Of bush
WOOD and luxuriant grass. The faSendas Of tn
RE zone Lie mainly in sloping valleys studde'
Il with rounded hills. designated according TO thei
exposure to the sun as sOalheiro or norweg
coffee lands. The soalheiros are those expose
70 TIE sun from IL until evening. The mol
vegas, on the opposite slope Of the hills hav
direct sunlight only until IL o'clock in the fore
noon. Whether one exposure or the other is bc'