Coffee and chicory : $b Their culture, chemical composition, preparation for market, and consumption, with simple tests for detecting adulteration, and practical hints for the producer and consumerSimmonds, P. L. (Peter Lund)
Science
Coffee and chicory : $b Their culture, chemical composition, preparation for market, and consumption, with simple tests for detecting adulteration, and practical hints for the producer and consumer
Simmonds, P. L. (Peter Lund)
Chicory; Coffee; Food adulteration and inspection
E--The fruit cut horizontally, to show the seeds as they are placed
erect, with their flat sides, together.
F--One of the seeds taken out, with the membrane or parchment upon it.
G--The same with the parchment torn open, to give a view of the seed.
H--The seed without the parchment.
Lindley and Paxton only enumerate two species: _C. arabica_, native of
Yemen, and _C. paniculata_, indigenous to Guiana.
Continental botanists, however, describe no less than eight other
species: four inhabiting Peru, _C. microcarpa_, _C. umbellata_, _C.
acuminata_, and _C. subsessilis_; two indigenous to the West Coast of
Africa, _C. laurina_ and _C. racemosa_; and two natives of the East
Indies, _C. bengalensis_ and _C. Indica_. Some of these are probably
mere varieties.
Whatever its origin may have been, there can be no doubt that there are
three kinds or species now grown, differing materially from each other.
The Arabian or Mocha coffee is characterised by having a small and more
brittle leaf, with branches shorter, and more upright than the Jamaica
and Ceylon coffee; and by its berry being almost always, or at least
very frequently, single seeded, and the seed cylindrical and plump.
The Jamaica coffee-tree has a larger and more pliable leaf, longer and
more drooping branches, and berries almost always containing two seeds.
(_The Ethiopian._)
The great difference now existing between the two kinds, may possibly
have originated in the change of soil, climate, and season, operating
through a series of years; but this difference is so decided, and so
strongly marked, that the veriest tyro can in a moment pronounce of
either.
The East India or Bengal coffee-tree differs much from all others, but
is in every respect a veritable coffee.
The leaf is smaller, and lighter green, than the foregoing variety; its
berry is infinitely smaller, and when ripening, turns black instead of
blood-red. Coffee made from it is of excellent flavour, and much liked.
Within the tropics, coffee thrives best at an elevation of 1200 to 3000
feet, and rarely grows above 6000 feet. It may be cultivated as far as
36° north latitude, where the mean temperature is about 70°.
In the western hemisphere coffee is grown in many of the West India
Islands, in Central America, the northern republics of South America,
Berbice, Cayenne, and Brazil. In Africa it is grown in Liberia and other
parts of Western Africa, at St. Helena, in Egypt, and Mozambique, and a
little in Natal. Passing eastward we find it in Arabia, one of the
oldest seats of culture, the southern peninsula of India, Ceylon,
Bourbon, Java, Célèbes, and other parts of the Eastern Archipelago,
Siam, and some of the Pacific Islands.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account