MEXICO, THE CENTRAL AMERICAN STATES, BRAZIL AND OTHER

SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRIES, AND THE WEST INDIES.

SPECIAL BULLETIN.

OCTOBER, 1893.

HARVARL COLLEGE

JAN 29 1894

LIBRARY.
No Borean

BUREAU

OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLICS,
NO. 2 LAFAYETTE SQUARE, WASHINGTON, D. C., U. S. A.

Director.-CLINTON FURBISH.
Secretary.-FREDERIC EMORY.

AUG - 1916

COFFEE IN AMERICA.

Throughout the world there is a constant and rapid increase in the consumption of coffee. Although there has been a marked increase in the production of this berry in Central and South American countries, the rising prices indicate that the supply is still below the demand. These facts have naturally turned attention to this industry in those regions where the coffee plant thrives, and has prompted many inquiries from persons seeking investment regarding favorable locations, prices of lands and general information upon the subject. To answer fully the many inquiries received at this Bureau on this subject, is the object of this bulletin. Incidentally, the coffee production of the Old World is noted, but attention is chiefly directed to the lands, climates, soils and other natural conditions of growth of plant, methods of propagation, cultivation, handling and marketing of this product in the countries on this Continent, to which it seems probable the world must look for any increase in the present supply.

SOURCES OF SUPPLY.

The coffee plant, indigenous to Asia and Africa, has found its true habitat in the New World, where its production is already many times greater than in the Eastern Continent. Messrs. Schoffer & Co., of Rotterdam, estimated the world's total production in 1884 at 681,314 tons, of which Brazil alone produced 371,429 tons, or 61,544 tons more than one-half the entire product. Java, Sumatra and Celebes produced 108,743 tons. Since that time the proportion in favor of America has constantly and immensely increased; the Old World having hardly increased its production, while in Brazil the crop in 1892 reached about 500,000 tons, and the other American countries had shown, in certain cases, a still greater percentage of growth.

The amount of coffee produced in the world has been steadily

increasing for many years. The following table shows the production

by countries for the ten years prior to 1885:

The coffee product of the world for 1888-89 was estimated as follows by the two respective authorities:

The New York Chamber of Commerce gives: