COFFEE AND COFFEE-GROWING, with Special Reference to Porto Rico and Hawaii (Co(rea Ara bica, Linn., and C. Liberica, Hiern). Rubiacecc. Figs. 344-353.
By J. IV. Van Lcenhoff Coffee-growing is essentially a tropical industry. It is of vast proportions. The annual production in the world exceeds 1,500,000,000 pounds. Within recent years there has been over-planting and over production, with a consequent falling in price that has practically stamped out the industry in parts of the Hawaiian islands and elsewhere. Africa, Arabia, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Central Amer ica, Ceylon, Hawaiian islands, Java, Mexico, Porto Rico, all grow considerable coffee, Brazil alone producing nearly three-fourths of the world's sup ply. The two species, Coffee Arabica and C. Liberica, furnish most of the commercial product. [For a botanical discussion of species, see Ceca, Cyclo pedia of American Horticulture.] In order to show the extent to which the industry has grown, the following table of production and consumption is given. It was prepared by Stein wender, Stoffregen & Co., New York City, on Janu ary, 1, 1907.
History.
Nicholas Witsen, a Hollander, was the first to transfer the coffee plant from its native soil in Arabia, thus laying the foundation on which grad ually the world's present enormous coffee industry has developed. The plant prospered which he took from Mocha in 1690, and planted in Batavia, capital of the Dutch East Indies. It is probable that seed from this tree and its descendants were in the course of time transported to the different coffee zones of the world, where its descendants now cover vast areas and are the means of suste nance for millions of people, while its products have become almost a necessity of life for millions more.
A seedling was sent from Batavia to the Botan ical Gardens in Amsterdam, from which in 1712 the French artillery officer, Ressous, secured a seed ling. He gave it to King Louis XIV, who had it planted in the Jardin des Plantes, where it soon died. In 1714, the Burgomaster of Am sterdam sent another seedling to Louis XIV which was planted in the Jardin des Plantes, lived and produced seeds, of which, after an unsuccessful attempt by Dr. Isambert, a seedling was brought in 1720 to Martinque by a French officer, de Clieux, and planted with success. Seeds
from this plant were distributed to the colonists in Martinique and other French possessions in the Antilles. Not many years later, French refugees form Hayti brought seeds to Porto Rico.
General culture.
Climate.—Coffee reaches its best development at altitudes of 1,000 to 2,500 feet above sea-level, 2,000 feet being perhaps the optimum elevation. Other conditions being favorable, very good crops are grown frequently at lesser altitudes. Gener ally, the higher elevations are associated with greater rainfall and a lower temperature, making less shade necessary. The higher altitudes seem to produce a larger bean. A rainfall of 50 to 200 inches annually, evenly distributed, gives best re sults. Freedom from severe winds is essential. An equable temperature, having an average minimum of not less than 60° is required.
Soil.—Coffee will thrive on a variety of soils, but a deep, rich soil is desirable, a large content of humus being especially favorable. Volcanic de posits are well adapted. In Porto Rico, the Adjun tas clay and Alonzo clay give the best results. The former is a pink-red or dark brown clay, three to eight inches deep, underlaid by a pink or red subsoil twenty inches or more in depth. The latter is a dark, purplish clay loam, eight to thirty six inches deep, containing more or less pebbles and boulders. These clay soils are subject to less erosion, as a rule, than sandy ones, retain moisture better and wear much longer. Very sandy or gravelly soils, especially if closely underlaid by coarse gravel or broken rock, should be avoided. If such soils are virgin, the coffee trees will grow well for a few years but will soon fall into a de cline, owing to the rapidity with which such soils deteriorate under the washing of heavy tropical rains. After the humus and surface fertility of such soils are depleted they withstand drought poorly, because of their porous nature and the steep topography of most of the country which so quickly and completely drains away the water. The clay soils are more retentive of moisture and retain their fertility longer.