The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-09
BRAZIL SAYS LIFT
COFFEE BLOCKADE
Huge Amount Of Business
With Central Powers Is
Shown in Request.
Especially ,critten for the South Anert-
can Department of THE SUM-


representations to the Peace Conference
to have the blockade on coffee imports
to Germany removed. The quantities
shipped to the Central Powers before
the war were very large and In the
year 1918 se2,osi,ooo pounds OF coffee
were imported by Germany. Even
Mexico exported a little. and while the
growing of coffee in that country Is
not very extensive, still the facts con-
nected with 1t are OF interest to all
Spanish Americans.
1t is generally believed that coffee
was introduced into Mexico by the Span
iards, and Il appears that Mexicans OF
pre- Spanish times knew about this world
widely used bean. Scientists as a whole
are Of the mind that coffee was
originally product Of Arabia. but the
evidence whether the coffee berry was
indigenous to South America Is not con-
elusive pro or con. The Arabian theory
is most times advanced, but the argu-
ment given against this is that the cof-
fee shrub was found growing wild In
South America In parts where there are
not and never have been any coffee
plantations.
With regard TO South America the
evidence Is wholly unreliable, but the
fact cannot be disputed t,lat stern as
the Spaniards were they at least had
real desire to Christianize and civilize
the heather lands that they saw At to
conquer. Many Of the Jesuits we're dis
tinguished men and performed great SER
vices-cleared the way into unknown
South American parts and established
| stations for missionary work.
European Plant Growth Found.
Indians destroyed most OF these
stations, but many OF the Jesuits were
| only expelled later by the local gov
| ernments. 1t IL, therefore. not at air
uncommon even In tho most remote
! sections OF South America to discover
some, trace OF plant growth OF purely
European origin.
To grow coffee Is not. as many mex
perienced Americans who attempt It be-
| lieve, an easy undertaking. or course
the coffee plant itself Is quite hardy,
but too great a frost will in many cases
prove disastrous. Examining the coffee
plant more exactly II Is found to be a
big evergreen, which often reaches a
height of twenty feet. The berry Is q
| feshy fruit. which with ripening turns
the color Of dark red and contains from
one to three seeds. II one could only
|
| ho!lies and with berries in full bearing
| land in n hot climate instead OF cold)
one would have almost a picture OF
coffee plantation. \ sandy, olayey loan.
| fairly deep, Is the soil best fitted for
raising coffee, but 1t must be carefully
drained. A tendency on the part OF the
| tentacles OF the shrub to penetrate some
two or three feet In the ground Is q some
what curious fact. and thus 1t derives
the nourishment necessary for healthy
and full bearing growth. Lime Is
needed in small quantities. but the
shrub should at no time be planted in a
| ground with an excess OF lime, the
| method being to take two or three seed
lings and drop them into a small hole In
the earth chosen for that purpose.
| AS was shown by the experience OF
the crop last June in Sac Paulo. intense
| frost is almost the worst that can hap
pen TO a coffee crop. II there is pro-
tecting shelter no harm need be feared
even where the coffee plant is In close
proximity to the sea, and the same is
true Of the cocoa plant, but to be sue
cessful with the latter is quite another
proposition, owing to its delicate nature.
Care Needed in Growing.
Sac Paulo. the greatest coffee grow
ing state In the world, has shown other
sections that peculiar conditions are
necessary when coffee producing Is at
tempted on a large scale. The enormous
plantations of Sac Paulo stand 1000
feet above the level OF the sea and enjoy
a practical rarity OF atmosphere not
found elsewhere. Here is also found
a strong sun, which is needed to bring
ripeness TO the berries. but there Is
always danger 20 a coffee plantat ion
| Whan ~ 10 al n n hitch
Turning TO the consideration OF
cocoanut production In Mexico and
Brazil IL is found that In Mexico an
almost unlimited cultiva ton might be
had, but that up to date methods are
still not extensively employed. The
cocoanut palm grows wild in Mexico in
great abundance, but for all that this
excited neighbor OF the United States
is not big factor in the worlds cocoa
nut markets. The demand for cocoanut
products in these times is very con-
siderable. for from the oil Of the cocoa
nut is derived margarine. Since Mexico
Is not an extensive market the outside
world obtains this product mainly from
Panama, Honduras and the West Indian
Islands, while copra, the crushed fruit
Is got mainly from the Philippine
Islands. from the East Indian Islands
belonging 20 the Dutch and from Aus
tralia.
Peculiar. yet true 10 state. is the fact
that Brazil has not taken the position
IL should in supplying the world with
either copra or the cocoanut. The de-
mand for both OF these is enormous.
and some very interesting figures have
been furnished by the National City
Bank OF New York. II is computed that
the United States imported last year
sec, 900, 900 pounds. while before the war
it had been under $4,000. 900 pounds
It is difficult. according to some OF TIE
best authorities in the world, to estl-
mate what the total cocoanut supply Of
the world is. Returns from this country
alone show that there were consumed
1000. 100000 eocoanuts, and lie is gen.
orally understood that one pound of
copra represents the product of three
good sized cocoanuts. American live
wires can do we'll TO more closely ex-
anime the coffee and cocoanut situation
In all Latin American countries. The
opportunities are not to be calculated
and afford a chance for every one.
Exports From Cuba-Declared exports
from the consulsl district OF Havana TO
n the United states during 1918 wero valued
at t77.Ss2,sss, slight decrease from the
1917 total which amounted 10 tTSs4slis.
sugar was the chtef item Of export both
wears. being worth ttsso+,ssi In 1918 and
lG,I95.72s in 1917; tobacco. next In value,
wss worth ti7,2fo,sss in 1918 and ;is.
s8o.7so in 1Ai7.
Latin America Holidays