The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-08-21
COFFEE DRINKERS
ARE NUMEROUS.
Practically 0ne-HaIf of the Worlds
Production Used in This Country,
COSTS US $9O,OOO,OOO A YEAR
Cuba, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the
PHILIPPINES Admirably Adapted 10
the Cultivation OF the Bean.
Millions in IL for Planters.

WASUlNGIDNs Aug l3.-Specldi.-
The fact that coffee IS readily grown
in all the islands now coming under con-
troll Of the United States lends interest
to some figures OF tho Treasury Bureau
Of Statistics which show that coffee last
year. was the greatest item In our i'm
ports and that tho years importations
Of that article were the greatest IA our
history Puerto Rico and Hawaii have
FOR years grown fine grade Of coffee,
cuba formerly produced II in large
quantities and the Philippine Islands
have for years had a reputation Of pro-
.ducing a grade Of coffee equallins that
OF Java and even comparing favoraby
with Arabia's world famed Mocha. The
United States has been for years the
largest coffee using country in The
world, our purchases since 1880 having
averaged ninety millions OF dollars per
annum in value, but Il was reserved for
the fiscal year 1888 20 show the largest
imports OF coffee IN our history, bring
ing the average per capita consumption
among our population up 20 the highest
point ever known The coffee imp0rta-
lions FOR the fiscal year 1888, just ended
were N05lL2l5 pounds which is nearly 20
per cent. greater than in 1884, Q, per
double that Of 1850 and mOfe than three
times that Of 1874. Deducting the cX-
pOrtations which amounted 20 M."2 $50
pounds. the consumption Of the fiscal
year 1898 would stand 40 eleven and fiVe-
tenths pounds per capita against nine
and nine-tenths IN 1891 eight and two
tenths in 1893 seven and elght-tcnths
in 1890, six and nine-teuths, I'm 1877. five
and one oue-hundredth I'm 1867. four and
tenths in 1904 and two and two-tenths
In 1863. The war period OF 1876 show
ed the lowest per capita consumption
Of coffee in our history despite the large
use of this article I'm the army. while
the brief war period OF 1893 caused no
diminutiOn in the imports the total for
April May and June being 2ij million
pounds against 1s3 million On tho c0rre-
spending months OF the preceding year.
The large importation OF coffee dur
ing the year just ended was probably
due I'm some degree 20 It's phenomcnalIy
low price, the average value OF the
years imports being seven and four
tenths cents per pound against an aver
age of eleven cents last year, fourteen
and six-tenths In 1895. and sixteen and
four-tcnths in 1894 The quotations 20
the Bureau OF Statistics report the whole
sale price OF Rio no. z. q standard Grade
seven and One-half cents in the New
York markets Ia the fiscal year 1885,
against nine and Onc-lalf cents peg
pound IN 1897. eleven and one-half in 1885,
fifteen and Onc-half in 1895. seventeen
and one-half ia 1898 and eighteen and
One-half IN 1852 1T may be added how
lever. that while prices have greatly illi-
en- I'm recent years the Introduction OF
machinerv. the ChCapellug Of freight
frrrr.rTrf|f
for production and transportation suN
leave 20 producers 30 SIS said. comfort
able margin Of profit, especially in bet-
ter grades OF coffee.
The total value Of the coffee imported
into the United States fla the fiscal
year 1893 was. despite tho low prices OF
the year sc5 o67,5Cl. against til5l,6o I'm
1888: S5l.sl4,GlJ I'm ISIS. S22Ss4ll in l,s;
sls3G9841 I'm 1858 and SAH9,5I iu l.io.
Thus the money sent abroad for coffee
in the year just ended is eight times
that Of a half a century ago. and nearly
three times that OF lsCs The cost OF the
coffee imported into the United States
during the past ten years has been
sS75.49f2ll. these figures bong The prices
paid In the foreign markets at the port
OF expectation. Thus it appears in the
decade lust ended there has gone out OF
the country an average OF Selu0tND per
annum for an article which may De Sue
cessfully grown in an the islands now
coming under the jurisdiction OF the
United States.
Practically one-half OF tho coffee grown
I'm the world now comes 20 The Dhiei
States. The latest estimates put the
coffee production of The world az lt9i-
10000 pounds per annum whl- ass
shown above. tine imports into the Jnit-
cd states last year. were more than
half that amount OF the total coffee
production OF the world about two-tirds
is grown in Brazil. whore on export ouiy
of II per cent is placed on every pound
OF coffee exported. The other thiId az
the worlds production which is grown
outside Of Brazil Is scattered around ihe
world IN the belt extending 90 the gun
degree on each side OK the equator the
most successful locations being wei we
tered mountain slopes from 1000 20 1000
feet above the sea level. The REQUISITES
for coffee production are found IN aA
of the islands now likely TO come under
control Of the United States, while inc
fact that Brazil, the great coneo pfo-
ducer Of the world, places an export
duty on all coffee exported. operates
20 the advantage of those desiring TO
enter upon the production or tni' or
tiele. either for home consumption ~
for competition IN The markets Of the
world.
COFFEE PRODUCTION
Puerto Rico has Tor years produced
considerable coffee. this being her most
important export and amounting 20 from
twenty-five TO thirty million pounds per
annum. Mr.. i. b. Thurber. we'll
known authority on this subject in bis
book coffee From Plantation 20 Cup'
says: puerto Rico furnishes q coffee
that ia in great favor iu Spain and In
Italy and also on the Island Of Cuba
The cultivation IS carried on largely I'm
the provinces OF Mayaguez. Ponce, Quay
anilla. Aguadiila, Arecibo and ST. Johns.
In flavor this ranks as a mild coffee.
COFFEE IN CUBA.
The coffee producing possibilities IN
Cuba are said 10 be very great Mr.
Thomas II. DaWiey. Jr. says I'm the 1887
volume OF the American Annual CYCLIC
paedia": COFFEE was NJ one time the
rrinciDal source Of Cubas wealth. Ia
the early part OF the present century
ninety-one million pounds az conoe We're
produced in Cuba in a single year, rep
Iesenting a money value OF twenty mill
lion dollars. 10 was estimated
that I'm 1895 there We're six coffee estates
to one OF sugar, one plantation Is Men-
toned as having a million trees, ana
the writer has found an authentic ac-
count OF a plantation containing i"'l0
trees and $50 slaves IN part OF me ISL
and where at present there Is neither a
yestige of a coffee plantation or negro
population 800.
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS
Coffee Is now being produced In con-
sidorolIe Quantities I'm the Hawaiian Isl-
ands consul-General Haywood express