Hunting a home in Brazil

by James McFadden Gaston

After dinner, we were furnished with horses of most excellent saddle-qualities, and accompanied our host, Senor Bonifacio, in a ride to his plantation. Here we saw the coffee trees in full bearing, planted in lines and squares, so as to make the distance about nine feet between each tree, and extending over a very large area of land. The appearance of this field gives evidence of much careful attention, and though the coffee trees continue to grow in the same place from fifteen to twenty years, it is found to be important to their production that the land should be kept in good order; and, if not cultivated in other things, it is annually cleaned around the trees, and very often a compost, formed by the hull of the coffee with other articles, is put upon the ground to enrich it.

There were some young trees recently planted which had not borne any coffee, and a crop is not expected until the fourth year after setting out the plants, unless the plants should be over a year old, and then a partial yield will be obtained at the end of the third year from transplanting.

A nursery of the coffee plants was shown to us, and presented much the appearance of a young plumb thicket, when the sprouts had reached the height of from eighteen inches to two feet. This coffee nursery had been planted among some advanced stalks of the mandioca, which served to shade them when young and tender; and they had been gradually thinned out to give the plants more air and sun as their growth advanced. There was a large piece of ground in readiness to receive these plants so soon as there might be sufficient rain to transplant them.

This land had the timber felled and dried, when fire was applied and burnt over the whole, destroying all the leaves and small limbs, and yet leaving the larger limbs and trunks upon the ground. In the midst of this network, it was expected to set out the coffee trees, and between them to plant corn and beans, with the expectation of getting a full crop of the latter articles. Of course no ploughing is practicable, and all the work is done with the hoe, as is the case with nearly all the culture of this country.

The corn which had been planted here had usually five or six stalks in the hill, and I observed from the number of old stalks from last year, standing in some places together, that it is the custom to let this number remain in one place. Although the yield is reported to be good with this mode of culture, it is very evident that fewer grains in a hill and the use of the plough would enhance the result.

Senor Bonifacio showed me a specimen of a large many-toothed plough, which was of French manufacture, and fitted alone for ground that was smooth and without roots. He has also a specimen of the large American plough, which is better adapted to ordinary use. But he has done little more than experiment with these implements, and the difficulties attending the use of the complicated French ploughing machine will be a barrier to its successful employment; while the want of knowledge and of training on the part of negroes and animals will doubtless prevent him from turning the other to practical account. The farmer of the United States is needed here to learn the fazendeiros of Brazil the proper use of the plough, and should any considerable number remove to this country, they will effect quite a revolution in agriculture in a few years.

The trunks of many of the immense trees which had constituted the original forest were lying upon a piece of fresh land, and the Pon D’Alho and Figare Branco were pointed out to me as the indications of good soil, when found thus in close proximity. The former has the smell of garlic, even in the dry state, and when burned, it yields a large proportion of potash from the ashes. It is said likewise to have the property of attracting the magnetic needle to such an extent as to interfere with the accuracy of the compass in surveying lands where it is to be encountered.

The Jangada is a small tree which springs up on land of good quality which has been under cultivation, but is thrown out to rest and recuperate. The second forest growth upon this kind of soil is called in the Portuguese language “Capoera;” and the land varies in quality, as it has been more or less exhausted by the first cultivation. Hence the importance of noting those growths upon it, which indicate that it continues to be productive.

My object in examining these improved plantations in the outset is to get information as to the different qualities of soil and their productions; and at the same time to get the views and the experience of disinterested parties, as to all matters that may assist me in making a judicious selection of territory for my friends.

At the saw-mill of Senor Bonifacio, near his residence, was seen the wood of the Cabriuve, which is a very hard, brown material, used in constructing machinery, or for building purposes. The Tariba is a yellow and very durable substance, used for posts, which are set in the earth. The Sucupina is very bitter to the taste, and is also of a yellow hue. It is likewise very durable when partially embedded in the ground. The Goncalo Aldes is of a most beautifully-variegated, dark brown and yellow color. It is very hard and finely grained, so as to admit of the highest polish; and is employed for the frames of pictures or other decorative work by cabinet makers.