Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-15
COFFEE GROWING
MAY NET DIXIE
MILLIONS
Haphazard Experiment in Louis
lana Arouses Government to
Make Thorough Inquiry.

WASHINGTON, July Is. - For
many years it has been the belief
Of agriculturists and scientists that
coffee can not be grown CONNER
cially in the United States. because
1t is essentially a tropical plant, and
American farmers have given up hope
Of participating in this tremendously
valuable crop.
Now, however, the result of a hap
hazard planting in Louisiana has
awakened the interest of the Depart
ment Of Agriculture, and it is pre-
dicted that if the claims made in
this instance are confirmed, the day
soon may come when the States of
the South will be producing a large
part of the coffee of the world.
In 1911, the United States imported
87S,322, 468 pounds of coffee, valued at
$sO,949,963, to supply the needs of the
millions of coffee drinkers in this
country. This great sum of money
VIII go to the Southern States if it
NADho4 NAietL AAAt COlLtt SAoNl III
Louisiana is the genuine plant, and
that it was not produced under ex-
cepuonal circumstances.
RansdelI Gets Letter.
The discovery that coffee can be
grown in the United States is best
told in the words of a letter to SEN
ator Ransdell from Henri Julien, of
Jeanerette La. He says:
One of my neighbors, a negro, pur-
chased a pound of Rio coffee, and in
the coffee were four seeds in the hull
He conceived the idea of planting
these four seeds. Two grew and
gave him two plants This was two
years ago. Last year he made two
rice sacks full of coffee. This year,
he planted the contents of one of these
sacks
Briefly speaking. he now has from
this sack two rows two acres long of
coffee plants l have seen these cof-
fee plants. They are growing to per-
lection and are abUndantly laden with
coffee This is queer.
This negro planted at haphazard,
o. without knowledge of the time for
planting and, as he had no knowledge
of coffee cultivation, the cultivation
also was haphazard. He even planted
corn between his coffee plants.
Plants Are OVerIaden.
The established facts known to
all here are that these coffee plants
grow admirably and are overladen
with coffee This has caused me to
inquqire whether we should not IN
dertake this culture. Personally
should like to experiment with about
two acres, planted in different kinds
Of coffee, and give same my serious
personal attention"
He then asks for seeds and infor-
nation from the Department of Ag-
riculture on the proper methods of
coffee cultivation
Senator Ransder took up the mat
ter with the Department Of Agricul-
ture, and Secretary Houston told him
the case would be investigated Then
Senator Ransdell received from Act
ing Secretary Galloway the following
letter;
Grown for Ornament.
Il have had this matter looked into
carefully. The commercial culture Of
coffee has never been attempted in
this country, so far as known to our
people, although It is grown by a
number OF persons in gardens and
other projected places along the Gulf
coast as an ornamental plant
Tt Is advertised by one or two nur-
serymen in this country as an orma-
mental. and plants from these nur-
serymen and seeds from the Porto
Rico Experiment Station, as well as
from various tropical countries have
been secured and planted at various
points along the Gulf coast of Texas
and other Southern States.
Coffee however is an essentially
tropical plant which can not stand
frost, and for this reason its culture
on a commercial scale has not been
considered feasible
Department Wants Samples.
From the description given by Mr..
Julien, our men are unable to say
whether or not the plant to which
he refers is really coffee. The ex-
pertinent, however, is a very interest
ing one, and il he could secure some
samples and forward them to us, our
men would be glad to make an exami-
nation of the same with a view of
determining just what the plant is.
"A few of the berries and some of
the leaves would be sufficient for this
purpose. They should be sent to Mr.
W. f. Stafford, of the Bureau of Plant
Industry of this department. and can
be forwarded under the enclosed ad-
dressed franks of postage. After this
material Is received, we will be glad
to take up the matter further with
Mr.. Julien and render him every
assistance possible in this connec-
ton"
Senator Ransdell has written Mr.
Julien TO rush the samples to the De
partment.