The Hawaiian gazette., 1896-01-07

J. W. r. Shapleigh, treasurer o
the Shapleigh Coffee Company, Bos
ton. wrote to Hawaiian Consul Cor.
man D. Gilman OF the same place
the following letter about coffee
raised IN the islands:
have been very much interested to
examine the ten-pound sample OF Ha.
waiian coffee to which you recently
called my attention. 1t is interesting
TO me to see the product OF the island
and TO have the opportunity OF roast
ing and testing the same, which /
have carefully done.
| have, during the past twenty
years, had my stteution from time to
time called to Hswsiis coffees, and
when King kalaksua l visited Boston
| met his Ministers with view OF the
possible importation Of coffee from the
island, but learned from them that
there was no considerable surplus be-
yo0d the actual consumption OF the
island, snd negotiations were not
prosecuted. am, however, glad 10
know through you OF the large in
crease OF acreage of coffee cultivation,
as believe that it can be made very
profitable crop from the personal
knowledge ! have of coffee cultivation
in other parts OF the world.
The sample you have submitted TO
me is, to the eye, very attractive in
the raw berry at first sight; closer ex-
animation, however, reveals the lack
OF improved machinery in the garb-
ling Of the crop-thar Is, the proper
separation Of the bean from the pulp,
as the silyeF-skiu adueres 10 q large
portion OF the berries-a0u there also
appears 70 be au unusual proportion
OF dead SIS well as sour berries, the
former of which are worthless aud
the latter Objectionable on account OF
bad favor. The pr sence OF broken
beans indicates slso the crude ma
chinery used ia separating the bean
from the dried cherry, tue usually
accepted method Of curing coffee being
today what j. known as washing. by
which the pulp OF the cherry is rotted
and washed from the bean, which is
left intact and uuiDjured.
lam interested to know il the sam
pie in question represents the average
coffee Of the island, sud st some time II
you are able 20 show u other samples
It will be desirable. il you can, TO spec
ify whether they are from Lew farms
or farms which nave bad special cult
walton; also whether from low land or
high land, or whether from damp or
dry situations AMI whether northern
or southern exposures, much cepeud.
ing on the genera. conditions of soil,
situation sud plsn 81 cultiva'ion-thaI
is, whether the trees are mulcbed anu
protected by the shade of banana trees
planted alternately with the coffee
trees or whether lett without su,.E pro
tectiOu OF shaGe. The rOnt- Oi the cot
fee plant, a. perhaps you know, sre
largely sup-rfeial-thaJ L., near the
sUr'ace-std require = great heai o.
moisture aud At toe same time pr
lection from toe suns direct rays.
As 10 the cup quzlity of the sample
in question, | discovered decided
thinness, which l. q u ues'r abie, and
tue requisite amount " coffs tn pro-
duce the body IF good Java | ind
nearly or quite double that Of the Java
Of which | sent you 8 sample. The
flavor OF the coffee, though peculiar, IL
not undesirable, aud | can conceive
that il i = flavor realty acquired
ami, indeed preferred by Que accus
toned 10 IL This I believe, can
be greatly improved by cult!va
tioD, a. IuIeed the size OF the
bean, which Is quite below the desIra.
bic standard of Jaws, Mexican, Guate
malan, Costa Rieau or Venezuelan,
into competition with which il would
most naturally be brought.
l shall be glad So suy time 10 see
other samples from the islands, il they
come 10 your hands, and We will sit
down together ant enjoy cup of the
fragrant beverage, Experimenting if
you desire with the blending of Ha-
waiiau with other coffees which, in
my opinion, will De the most natural
snd successful wsy TO introduce il to
the public favor.
The following official figures may Je
interesting a showing tue remarka-
bic increase 10 the consumption of cot
fee per capita ia the United States.
With population lin round mum
beTsl Of 1900, COO in lS62 the United
States OF AmeTics consumed ll3,0I3,-
6TS pounds OF coffee valued st, Sl2,-
$40, l25, an average OF 3.46 pounds per
capita. With population lin round
numbers Of 100000, in 1855, the
United States Of America consumed
53s, 25t 555 pounds OF coffee valued ~,
81, 3s9,2 81 average Of 9.45 pounds
per cspIts. In other words, in ISIS,
the United States Of America con
sumed more coffee than Germany,
Austria, Hungary. France and the
United Kingdom OF Great Britain IN
the year ls92 the United States OF
America paid si2T 600. coo 10 freigu
countries for coffee.