New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-08
THE COFFEE OF COBAN.
HOW 1T IS GROwN-IrS REPUTATION IN
EUROPE.
WAGES OF wORKMEN INCREAsED-A RIVER LOST
IN AN 0LD.TIME CRATER-A SEMI.

IN AN 0LD.TIME CRATER-A SEMI.
TROPICAL RAIN.
Coban, Guatemala, Oct 3O.-The coffee grown In
the Department of Alta Verapez known as tue Coban
Verapez coffee, has reputation In Europe equal.
II not superior. to any coffee grown In any part OF
the world. 1t is hardy known, however, In the
United States. Small assignments are sent to one
cnterpr!sing firm In Boston, but II Is SAID mere that
that firm puts 1t upon the market, but uses
1t flavor TO increase tie value OF coffee which
they claim to be Of superior grade In the markets
Of Europe Coban coffee sells for fully onethird more
price than any other Central American brand, and
think for than any other brand, and the demand
Is always greater than tie supply. Last year the
owner OF Arenal sold his crop for upward Of forty
thousand dollars, and Mr. Lepprand OF Chcacao re-
ceivcd than fifty thousand dollars for the
product Of his inca The profit Is enormous and
fortune Is made each year. Tbs is readily under
stood when consider the production Of a good
nca and the OF labor. which is almost the entire
COST
Wages double what they were few years ago.
but at the increased rate. two reas (25cD per DAY
Is the outside limit. Tue average pcdng Is every
other week. One week the trlbajadcr wo.,s for the
cutvador and the week for himself thus having
time to cultivate his maize and frjolcs and the
coffee Of his cutivador. II lie works 200 dars upon
The fnca his wages amount to 80 year.
Two hundred laborers would 10000 year. and
would raise 1913 Of coffee. This coffee viii sell
upon the inca to the agent OF the European mer
chant for $2s hundred $500 a ton, $4,000 for
the crop. Deduct all expenses, interest and labor
and at east 100000 remains net profit for the
year. The profit OF many lncas Is much larger tlan
this Only few months ago fnca In this Depart
ment sold for 100000, and the buyer Illustrated
soomons description of satisfaction for when he was
gone then he boased'
The best coffee lands In the long, narrow
val eys, ending in q or less extensive circular
plain called here "pocket" inclosed by high noun
talns the valley itself being not less than 5000
and better II 1000 feet above Level, and the In
closing mountains from 1000 TO 1900 feet above the
valley. The valley and the slope Of the hill
Is always selected when possible The sun coming
over the eastern hills throws It's earliest rays upon
the western slope quickly absorbing the dew, drying
flower and fruit and shrub, exhaustng much Of its
Vitality and destroying something OF Its aromatic
qualities. on the eastern slope ana In the deep
valley the reaches the plants but slowly the dew
remains long on the leaf and stalk and flower, the
Juices exhausted but enriched by the Increasing
heat the flavor Is Intensified, and the rich, aromatic
berry is brought TO full maturity under the most
favorable circumstances OF light, heat and moisture.
Nothing can be imagined delightful 10 look upon
than coffee plantation in the early morning.
AS slowly turned shoulder Of the mountain
the valley in which the hnca OF Chicacao Is located
opened like a beautiful panorama below Us. For at
looking as If snow had been sprlnklei by giant
HANGOVER the entire length and had lodged In delicate
lines upon the upper side Of each wilowy branch. 10
was stretch Of dark, glossy green streakd with
even lines of white At first It hard to under
stand how this effect produced but as We
descended the mystery was explained. The coffee
shrub when fully matured Is about l2 feet high The
central stalk is than three inches In diameter
at the base straight the very top. From this
the branches extend average three feet bending
In graceful curve, and from either side OF these
branches the waxy leaves shaped ike the leaves OF
the peach, droOp graceful pendants. The flower Is
upon the upper sid. OF The blanch extending like q
line of creamy white leaves The entire length
OF ~ branch, and usually along every branch upon
the entire plant. Under the leaves the berries
In all stages Of maturity, green's reds, and shading
into dark brown when fully ripe.
The preparation OF u coffee plantation Is not dill
cult but requires great care, capital and about
four Years before returns from the coffee can
be expected. Tie land costs simpy the surveying.
The process Is called "denOuncing" and is similar "
our system Of pre-emption. The purchaser has the
land surveyed, pays the bs files the papers In tile
Government Land Office, and receives his certificate OF
title Having secured the title, the next step Is TO
prepare the land By thoroughly clearing II OF Its rank,
Wild growth. This is done at the same time the
coffee plants being prepared. The seed bed Is
level spot carefully paded until the soil Is soft and
free from roots, Jumps OF earth. into THIS
the coffee bean Is paced, and then the entire bed
shaded from the sun By an awning OF leaves
usually banana or pantain, supported upon poles y
few feet above the ground. The second year the
seedlings are transplanted into larger bed or may
be placed in their permanent position but still they
must be sheltered from sun and wind, and after the
first year this shelter Is usually gwen by setung
banana or planta.n suckers between the rows. In
fex months these suckers grow into large plants,
complete shading the ground and aifording the very
III. eAltaa sErflhS
end of the third year shade other than such as the
plants themselves afford Is dispensed with. The
fourth year pcking begins aud tie eighth year finds
the plant at full maturity and bearing ABUNDANT
crops. The shrub continues bearing full crops until
sixteen years Ola, and then comes gradual decay. a
coffee plantation rTrey started at its full size ut
first. The beginning may be With few thousand
plants, ACCORDING tie capital Of the owner, ana
tnen Increased few thousand plants each year until
the land Is fully occupied. This was the course ol-
lowed by senior LeippTnd at Chcacao and now his
inca is the boast ana pride Of the department. .
The Republic is Interesting. A river, which comes
piungng through an opening In the mountains, SUD
dcny stops It's headlons rush 'anhs INTO e. saEps
earth settles into tunnels aped cavity with small
opening AT It's base, aown which silver thread OF
Water is leaping into the darkness and mystery Of
sublerrlncan world An opening In the face OF
rock wall is the door leading into cavern OF unknown
depth ana extent. Just by the side OF the trai-the
trail turns to The rsat or le to avoid she,Rare
on a line with the roof leading into other caverns.
We dismount and look Into one Of these cnimneys.
fus OF air come into our faces we can hear water
falling over mysterious precipces; strange SOUNDS
come to earn and suggest Zimmerman world where
perpetual darkness resns. This entire region Is mu
OF caves, unex piored, waiting for some adventurous
liovcy TO examine their unknown chambers th,ir
mysterious halls, their winding passages, their siygiln
lakes unknown rivers, and then u tel the world
by Illustration and description the wOndous story of
strange and beautiful forms which Nature b. her
artists time and water has here wrought In silence
and darkness. Mammoth, Wyandoie and Luray are
Justly celebrated. but these caves In the mountins
Of santa Cruz and De Chamn must on a grindef
scale If one judge from the openings upon the
surface
About two leagues before reaching Coban we came
upon a gang OF worlmen constructing cartroad from
that city, but 10 what point In the mountains We
could not learn. Tie road was fairly smooth, about
twenty feet wde and We blessed the man, whoever ne
WAS who instlgated It's construction. AS We pro
cceded an occasional cbana warned us o! our approach