Other Methods of Preparation.—There are times when it is impossible to pulp the coffee ; the pulpers may get out of repair, or the weather may be so untoward that the cherry does not ripen sufficiently, or becomes too dry for pulping. In these cases, the cherry must first be fermented ; the best way to do Clio is to place it in one of the tanks, or, if the quantity is t,00 small to clearly fill a tank, in an old box or cask, and cover it with sacks or grass, or both. Here it is left until it acquires a good warmth. When the cherry, on squeezing, is no longer slippery, it may be taken out and spread the sun to dry. For two or three nights, it necd not be housed, nor will rain hurt it. When dry, it may be stored for curing, like parehment coffee, hut muat not . .
be mixed with it. io terment tne cherry by leaving it in a heap on the ground is a bad plan, for two reasons : first, because when fer mented it becomes very wet, and collects dirt, which, in the after treatment, will affect the colour of the coffee ; second, because in a heap, the fermentation cannot be equal throughout the sample. Pulp ing is performed whenever possible, as the increased trouble entailed by the other process ia not compensated for by the alleged improvement of the flavour, and no better price is got in the market.
The native coffee of the East Indies is dried in the cherry ; the dried pulp is then removed by pouncling in common paddy-pounders, and the refuse is winnowed away in native baskets. Be sides being tedious, ineffective, and expensive, the process gives a large proportion of damaged beans, and does not secure a regularity of colour.
Packing and Shipment.—As soon aa the coffee has been sized and garbled, it is ready for the market. It is best packed in air-tight casks, made from wood which is not likely to taint the coffee in any way. Bags are sometimes used, double, hut a,re inferior to casks. In shipping coffee, great care is required to prevent its comink into contact with other merchandise which may communicate to it a flavour or odour. Vessels carrying coffee should have perforated ventilating tubes from the bottom of the hold, passing through the cargo, and allowing the escape of the steam and gases generated during transit. Without this, the beans will be discoloured, and classed as " c,ountry damaged," an accident which cannot be covered by insurance. In well-ventilated ships, coffee loses about per cent. in weight, but gains iu quality ; under bad ventilation, there will he a gain of per cent. in weight, but a loss of colour, and consequent depreciation in value.
Market Varieties and Values.—The following list is intended to show the comparative prices (in shillings per cwt.) of the principal brands of coffee brought into the home market iu 1878 and 1879 :-Tamaica-good mid. to fine, 99-110, 103-126 ; low mid., 84-98, 92-102 ; fine ord. 601-83.
711-90 ; good ord., 58-60, 68-71 ; ord. and triage, 50-56, 63-7. Ceylon (Native)-bold, 66-72, 75-80; good and fine ord. 63-4, 70-4 ; stall and ord., 50-61, 62-9 ; (Plantation)-fine, 1021-112, 109-17 ; fine mid., 100-2, 106-81 ; good mid. 961-91, 103-51 ; mid. 93-6, 100-2/ ; fine ord. to low mid., 82-921, 84-99/ ; mixed and triage, 62-81, 68-83. Other East India-fine and sup., 1061-15, 110 28; good to fine, 1011-5, 107-91; mid. to good mid,, 92-101, 100-61; fine ord. to low raid., 77- 911, 84-99; ord., 70-61, 72-82; Native, 68-72. Mooha-fine yellow, 102-10; mid. to good, 93-100, 96-100; ungarbled, 80-2. Java-yellow, 77-94, 90-100 ; pale and mixed, 63-761, 75-89. Manilla-51-65,62-76. Singapore-50-64,58-75. African-50-3, 52-7. Rio and Santos-washed, 77-97, 83-101 ; fine ord. and sup., 56-70, 64-80 ; good ord., 54-5, 61-3 ; ord., 45-53, 48-60. La Guayra-62-90, 76-97. Costa Rioa-fine, 91-100, 92-100 ; mid., 84-90, 86-91 ; ord. to fine ord., 68-84, 66-85. Gwitenrda--68-83, 70-85; mid. to fine, 84-97, 86-98. New Granada-70-98, 80-107. Porto Eico-75-100, 86-102. Also, occasionally, San Domingo-60-75. Mexican-65-84. Savandla-plantation, 80-105 ; native; 62-78.
The commercial value of coffee depends upon the form, size, colour, smell, flavour, age, and uniformity of the beans; aud on the presence or absence of stones, stems, and other foreign matters. The source is only partially valuable as an index of quality. Form is not a sure guide as to source, as it varies in the same sample ; there are, however, three typical forms :-Mucha, small rounded (pea-berry); pointed Bourbon, medium sized, elongated, and pointed ; and Martinique, large and flattened. Brazil, Martinique and Java coffees are of fairly regular size ; but those of San Domingo and Mocha are very irregular. As a rule, medium sized beans have the best flavour. Colour depends entirely upon local peculiarities of growth and preparation ; generally speaking, the coffees of the Old World are inclined to yellow, those of the New, to green. Weight decreases by lreepiug. Odour is a dietinctive test, but requires long experience :-green Mocha resembles tea ; Martinique and Jamaica, pure aud pleasant; Porto Rico, less agreeable; Brazil, strong, vasying in Rio and Santos ; Java and Sumatra, sharp; Manilla, very pronounced. Flavour is another good test :- Mocha is best; Martinique, very agreeable; Guadaloupe and Porto Rico, less so ; Padang, inferior to Java ; Sumatra, slightly bitter. As to impurities :-San Domingo is usually very dirty ; Ceylon, East India, Rio, Santos, Martinique, and Java, generally well prepared and clean. The nutritive or stimulating value of the sample depends upon the percentage of cafeine, which can only he trscertained by analysis.