Java coffee is classified by the names of the districts as follows : Fancy Marks, Interiors, Preangers, Samarangs, Malangs, Ka does, Passoeroeangs, Sumatras and Singapores. Fancy Marks include Mandehling, Ayer-Bangies, Ankola. The bean is large and stylish, drinks rich and strong, but lacks the finer qualities of private plantation Javas, which we shall refer to later, but are highly valued.
Interiors, so called from being raised in the interior of the Island of Sumatra, are better known in this country as Padang Java, deriving that name from the port of shipment, which is Padang. They comprise the larger part of the Java coffee sold in this country, and for years have been considered a very superior coffee. They are not so stylish as Fancy Marks ; drink rich and strong, and possess a characteristic flavor of their own.
Preanger, raised on the Island of Java, is somewhat different from Padang, both in style and drink, being a smaller bean and ranker, or stronger in the cup. The standard of excellence is not being kept up and it is not so highly prized as formerly. At one time it outranked interior Padang.
Samarangs, Malangs, Kadoes, Passoeroeangs, can be described under one head, closely resembling each other in one leading characteristic, namely : Inferiority, and sell for about 20 per cent. less than Interior Padangs. The mild coffees of South America excel them in style and drinking qualities, and were it not for the all powerful name of Java which they bear, they would not be recognized as even approaching fineness. They are sold largely in the Eastern States, paying a large profit to wholesale dealers, and at the same time easing their con sciences, by allowing them to sell a straight Java coffee and literally doing so, but in no particular contributing a coffee that will suit the consumer.
Sumatra coffee is raised on the Island of Sumatra, and is known commercially as Free Java, from the fact that the Dutch Government has no control over the sale or growth of it. It is a large, irregular bean, inferior in quality. Little caTe being taken in the cultivation and curing ; a large proportion of it ar rives here in a condition known as ground stained, which we shall refer to later.
Singapore coffee embraces coffee raised adjacent to and shipped from Singapore, but the same grade is also shipped from Macas sar and Bonthyne. Each of them has a peculiar taste, which renders it very disagreeable. This coffee, years ago, was very freely sold in this country and largely sold West ; but as its character became known the consumption as Singapore Java ceased. In fact, although large quantities are imported into this country, it is a common remark that there never is a pound sold. The plain English of it is, that it is re-colored in New York, (chemically), and sold as Padang. Lately there has been imported into the United States what is called plantation coffee, that is, coffee raised from fine selected seed on large private estates on the Island of Java, such estates being under the best agricultural conditions, with unlimited capital and intelligent. manipulation, yield a coffee which in the cup is the finest ever produced ; under the above condition some of these plantations have acquired a reputation that has reached all over the world.
The sale of Padang Java is conducted in the following manner: It is advertised and sold under the auspices of the Dutch Govern ment in quarterly sales, occurring in the months of March, June, September and December. It is put up at auction, in one hun dred picul lots, (a picul is 133i lbs.) and no buyer can purchase more than this quantity at one bidding.
Interior or Padang Java is raised on Government or wild land.
Java coffee, regardless of quality, is always shipped in grass mats, varying in weight, from (40 to 80 lbs. each.
Java coffee possesses one feature peculiar to no other coffee, namely, that of turning very decidedly brown or yellow, but more especially brown. Interior and Fancy Padangs possess this peculiarity more than other varieties. If this color was a sure in dication of age, we should freely concur with the views of the trade generally, that a brown Java possessed finer drinking qualities than a pale. - While we do believe that age does improve its drinking qualities, we firmly believe that the color (if natural) in no particular adds to or detracts from its value in the cup.