FROMPLANTATION TO QuP. Ie ne fay rien sans Gayete (Montaigne, Des livres) Ex Libris Jose Mindlin BC D COFFEE BRANCH AND BERRIES. A. Blossom. C. Fully developed berry. E. Bean in its two innev coverings. ii. Embryo seed veHsel. D. Beans in berry. p. Bean ready for market? COFFEE FROM PLANTATION TO CUP A BBIEF HI8TORT OF COFFEE PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION. WITH AN APPENDIX CONTAINING LETTERS WRITTEN DURING A TRIP TO THE COFFEE PLANTATIONS OF THE EAST, AND THROUGH THE COFFEE CONSUMING COUNTRIES OF EUROPE. FRANCIS B. THURBER. THIRTEENTH EDITION. AMERICAN GROCER PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION, 28 AND 30 WEST BROADWAY, NEW YORK. 1886. COTTBIGHT BY. FRANCIS B. THURBER, 1881. TROW'S PRINTING AND BOOKBINDING COMPANY, 201-213 East i-zth Street, NEW YORK. TO THE MAN AT POUGHKEEPSIE, WHO KEEPS THE BAILBOAD REFRESHMENT ROOMS, THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY I DO NOT KNOW HIS NAME, BUT YEAB IN AND TEAR OUT HE GIVES THE PUBLIC AM IDEAL CUP OF COFFEE, AND, ON THE PRINCIPLE OF "ACT WELL TOUR PART, THERE ALL THE HONOR LIES," HE IS ENTITLED TO THE PUBLIC'S BEST THANKS. PERHAPS IN THE FAR DISTANT FUTURE SOME OTHER RAILROAD BUFFET PROPRIETOR MAT FIND THAT A GOOD CUP OF COFFEE ADDS TO, BATHERTHAN DIMINISHES, THE CHANCES FOR GATHERING IN A GOODLT NUMBER OF SHEKELS, AND BE PROMPTED TO GO AND DO LIKEWISE. THERE IS EVEN A POSSIBILITY THAT THE ENGLISH STEAMSHLP LINES, WHICH NOW ENJOT A PRE-EMINENCE FOR BAD COFFEE, MAT LEARN THAT SOMETHING BESIDES GOOD SEAMANSHIP WILL ATTRACT BUSINESS, AND WHEN "THAT NEW ZEALANDEB" APPEARS UPON THE SCENE THEBE MAT NO LONGER BE EXTANT ANT SUCH REPROACH AS "SON OF A SEA COOK." I KNOW OF NO PERSON SO WELL ENTITLED TO THE HONOB OF THIS DEDICATION, AND SO THIS WORK IS ADMIRINGLT AND RESPECTFULLT INSCRIBED TO THE MAN AT POUGHKEEPSIE, ONE OF THE CHOSEN FEW WHO KNOW HOW TO MAKE A GOOD CUP OF COFFEE. PREFACE. I HAVE endeavored to tell the story of coffee in a practical way, so as to make the information valuable alike to consumers and dealers. I have been induced to add to the innumerable com­ pany of books from the fact that there seemed to be a want for a work which, besides furnishing statistical and historical matter relative to the coffee-plant, should give the reader a thorough knowledge of the characteristics of the world's coffee supply, and the mode of preserving and preparing the coffee-bean so as to best secure all those qualities which make coffee the favorite beverage with most of the civilized nations of the earth. My reliance has been chiefly upon twenty years' experience as a dealer, and such in­ formation as was to be gathered from a trip around the world. I have to acknowledge my indebtedness to many books for facts re­ garding coffee culture, and historical matter relating thereto, and also to a large circle of business acquaintances for valuable statis­ tical information. To mention them specifically is hardly pos­ sible, and would be of little interest to the general reader. It is, however, but just that I should here recognize the many courtesies and favors rendered me by General Joseph Kimmo, Jr., Chief of VI PREFACE. the United States Bureau of Statistics; and my obligations to Messrs. James Cook & Co., London; the Dutch Trading Company, through their New York agents, Messrs. Carter, Hawley & Co.; Messrs. Kern, Hayn & Co., of Bio de Janeiro and Santos; Messrs. H. E. Moring & Co., New York; Mr. George "Wilson, Secretary of the New York Chamber of Commerce ; to such pub lications as the Ceylon Observer and Ceylon Directory / Dr. Yan Den Berg's " Statistical and Historical Notes;" and to the dif­ ferent works of Mr. P. L. Simmonds; while in some way or other I am indebted in a similar manner to a majority of the coffee importers, dealers, and brokers of New York, and to cor­ respondents in all parts of the world. Assistance of a most valuable character has been rendered by Mr, Frank N. Barrett, of the editorial staff of the American Grocer, who, like myself, has had nearly a score of years' experi­ ence as a dealer in coffee. IE perchance I have been successful to any considerable extent in contributing to the lovers of coffee any knowledge that will be ' of service to them, I shall have found an ample reward. At the earnest solicitation of friends whose judgment I prize, I have con­ sented to add to the volume, in the shape of an Appendix, letters- written for the American Grocer during a trip to and from the coffee districts of the East Indies, more because they treat of matters that directly interest the majority of those by whom this little volume is likely to be read than from any literary merit or originality they may possess. Prepared, as this work has been, in the midst of a busy commercial career in this city of business activities, and at a time when public duties have been pressing, it PREFACE. Vll is more than likely that some defects will be noticed, and many infelicities of style or expression; and were it not for my confi­ dence in the good nature and generosity of those who are likely to read the following pages, I scarcely could have summoned courage to send them forth. At least I have the satisfaction of having made an honest effort in the direction of making the breakfast tables of the land the source of greater enjoyment, not­ withstanding that I may have brushed aside some fond fancies or revealed trade secrets that others would have jealously guarded. CONTENTS, CHAPTER 1 PAGE INTRODUCTORY, ., l CHAPTER H. THE PLANT AND ITS CULTURE, 4 CHAPTER HL PREPARATION OF COFFEE FOR MARKET, 8 CHAPTER IV. THE SELECTION OF THE BEAN, 18 CHAPTER V. ROASTING THE BEAN, 22 CHAPTER VL GRINDING, BLENDING, AND MIXING COFFEE, 30 CHAPTER vTL MAKING THE COFFEE, 33 The Thurber Recipe, 33 Turkish Coffee, 35 French Recipes, 38 M. Soyer's Method, 42 A New Orleans Recipe, 45 Vienna Coffee, . 47 The Beverage in Brazil, 48 Coffee in Java, . 49 Baron Von Liebig's Method, 50 X CONTENTS. CHAPTER Vm. PAGE EARLY HISTORY OF COFFEE, 53 CHAPTER IX. THE MOCHA BERRY, 60 CHAPTER X. THE JAVA BERRY, 64 CHAPTER XI. SUMATRA, AND OTHER JAVA SORTS, Celebes, 77" Singapore Java, 81 86 CHAPTER XH. CULTIVATION IN CEYLON, 90 CHAPTER XHt CULTIVATION IN INDIA, 105 CHAPTER XTV. LlEERIAN AND OTHER AFRICAN GROWTHS OF COFFEE Iabenan Coffee Berries and Seeds COFFEE, m Propagation by Seeds, 109 General Remarks, 111 113 CHAPTER XV. EMPIRE OF BRAZIL, 117 CHAPTER XVI. THE BRAZILIAN PRODUCT, How Coffee is Imported, 124 ISC CHAPTER XVH. COFFEE CULTURE IN THE WEST INDIES, Hayti and San Domingo, 137 Porto Rico, ° ' 142 144 CONTENTS. XI CHAPTER XVHL PAGE MARACAIBO AND LAGUAYRA COFFEE, 146 CHAPTER XIX. COFFEE PRODUCT OF CENTRAL AMERICA, 150 CHAPTER XX. THE COFFEE INDUSTRY IN MEXICO AND OTHER COUNTRIES, 154 Production at other Points, 156 CHAPTER XXI. ADULTERATION OF COFFEE, ... 162 How M. Grevy obtained a Cup of Coffee, 169 CHAPTER XXH. CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF COFFEE—ITS MEDICINAL AND OTHER PROPER­ TIES, 171 CHAPTER XXHL THE COFFEE TRADE, 183 CHAPTER XXT7. COFFEE CONSUMPTION OF THE WORLD, 204 CHAPTER XXV. THE KING OF THE COFFEE TRADE, 218 CHAPTER XXVI. THE TROPICS' BEST GIFT, 221 STATISTICAL TABLES. TABLE I.—Imports, Exports, Consumption, and Stock of Coffee in the United States, Atlantic Coast, from 1854 to 1880, inclusive, 227 TABLE II.—Receipts and Consumption of Coffee in the United States, 1851 to 1880, inclusive, 228 XII CONTENTS. PAGE TABLE IIL— Comparative Prices, New York Market, 1858 to 1880, inclusive, 228 TABLE IV.—Cargo Prices of Fair to Prime Rio Coffee in New York, Duty Paid, Monthly, from 1825 to 1880, inclusive, . - 229 Cargo Prices of Rio Coffee in New York at the Beginning of each Month, 1825 to 1845, inclusive, . 230 Cargo Prices in Gold, " In Bond," for Fair to Prime Rio Cof­ fee in New York, from 1846 to 1880,.inclusive, 231 TABLE V.—Price of Java Coffee in New York, 1858 to 1880, inclusive, 2E3 TABLE VI.—Comparative Monthly and Yearly Prices for Three Years, 237 TABLE VII.—Receipts of Sundry Kinds of Coffee, not enumerated specific­ ally, into the United States (Atlantic Coast), 1866 to 1880, inclusive, 237 TABLE VIII.—Circular Estimating and Proclaiming, in United States Money of Account, the Values of the Standard Coins in Circulation of the Various Nations of the World, 238 TABLE IX.—Premium on Gold at New York, 1862 to 1878, inclusive, 239 TABLE X.—Cost of Exchange in Rio de Janeiro, showing Lowest and High­ est Rates of Exchange from 1850 to 1879, inclusive—in Rio de Janeiro —from Official Quotations, 240 TABLE XI.—The World's Production of Coffee, 240 TABLE XII.—The World's Consumption of Coffee, 241 TABLE XIII.—The Coffee Production of the Whole World, according to Prof. Van Den Berg and other Authorities, 241 TABLE XIV.—Consumption of Coffee in Non-coffee Producing Countries, 243 TABLE XV.—Stock of Coffee in the Principal Depots of Europe, January 1, 1842, to 1881, ' 244 TABLE XVI.—Comparative Statement of Imports of Coffee, 1850 to 1880, . 244 TABLE XVII.—Consumption in the German Zollverein, 1836 to 1880, inclu­ sive, 245 TABLE XVIII.—Consumption of Coffee in France, 1832 to 1880, inclusive, 245 TABLE XIX.—Quantities and Values of Tea and Coffee Imported into and Exported from the United States, from 1658 to 1881, inclusive, 246 TABLE XX.—Quantities and Values of Imported Tea and Coffee Retained in the United States for Consumption, and the Estimated Consumption per Capita of Population, during the Years 1830,1840, and from 1850 to 1881, inclusive, 247 TABLE XXI.—Weights in Use in Coffee-producing Countries, with their Equivalents in United States Currency, 248 TABLE XXIT.