The text begins with an extensive investigation into the early history of coffee, tracing its origins from the semi-savage tribes of Ethiopia through its introduction into Arabia and subsequent spread to Europe. The narrative details the religious and political opposition the beverage faced in Cairo, Constantinople, and London, where coffee-houses were frequently targeted as centres of sedition and places of subversive political discourse.
Following the historical overview, the author outlines the geographical distribution of the coffee plant, detailing its cultivation across Africa, Asia, the Polynesian islands, and the Americas. Particular attention is given to the romantic journey of the single plant transported to Martinique by De Clieux, which became the foundational ancestor of countless varieties across the American continent.
The botanical structure of the coffee plant is examined in depth, categorizing the genus into distinct species such as Arabica, Liberian, and Maragogipe. The text provides precise descriptions of the root system, evergreen foliage, fragrant blossoms, and the dual-seeded fruit, explaining the exact physiological functions of the epicarp, mesocarp, and endocarp.
A substantial portion of the work is dedicated to the practical aspects of cultivation and preparation. This includes meticulous guidelines on soil selection, climate requirements, aspect and shelter, and the establishment of nurseries. The author provides detailed instructions for planting distances, holing, manuring, weeding, and the complex process of pruning to restrict upward growth and maximize lateral fruit-bearing wood.
The manual addresses the various enemies and diseases that threaten coffee plantations, including leaf-blight, the coffee borer, the white and black bug, and bark canker, offering specific remedies and preventative treatments for each affliction. Harvesting techniques are carefully outlined to ensure berries are picked only at full maturity.
The final sections cover the industrial processes of pulping, fermenting, washing, drying, hulling, and sizing. The author explains the operation of various disc pulpers, fermentation tanks, and drying terraces, concluding with a comprehensive commercial classification of African, Asian, American, and Polynesian coffees, alongside an analysis of roasting principles and the retention of the aromatic oil known as caffeone.
