Although about a quarter of a century ago the average consumption rose to nearly 1½ lb., it has since been gradually declining, for last year (1863) the total consumption was, with an increased population, 2¼ million pounds below the quantity taken for consumption in 1861.
The following table shows the changes in our sources of supply of coffee even in the last ten years, taking the quantities entered for consumption only.
Coffee taken for Consumption in the United Kingdom.
| 1853. | 1862. | |
| lbs. | lbs. | |
| British India (including Ceylon) | 24,980,375 | 5,422,369 |
| Ceylon | — | 23,886,007 |
| British West Indies and Guiana | 2,742,913 | 2,380,683 |
| Central America | 4,948,848 | 2,087,638 |
| Brazil | 814,133 | 280,837 |
| Venezuela | 1,033,071 | — |
| Hayti | 862,254 | 20,701 |
| Java | 112,892 | — |
| Holland, &c. | 442,863 | 8,862 |
| Egypt | 112,360 | 90,932 |
| United States | 112,673 | 30,476 |
| New Granada | — | 133,144 |
| Chili | 379,930 | — |
| Mauritius | 61,884 | — |
| Portugal | — | 23,052 |
| Philippine Islands | — | 82,820 |
| Other parts | 487,574 | 216,650 |
| 37,091,770 | 34,664,135 | |
| Exported on drawback | 108,648 | 212,369 |
| 36,983,122 | 34,451,766 |
There is imported into Europe annually about 270,000,000 pounds of coffee, of which France consumes one-sixth, the consumption there having increased fully fifty per cent. within a very brief period.
SECTION IV.
COMMERCIAL VARIETIES OF COFFEE.
The coffee-berry of Cayenne is rather convex, irregular, of a dull green, covered with a slight pellicle. It is analogous to Mocha, and of a pleasant aromatic flavour.
That of Guadaloupe is elongated, larger, of a dark greyish green, and nearly always without any pellicle.
The coffee-berry of Martinique is also large, oval, flat on one side, with the furrow deep and straight for the greater part of its length, but diverging at the ends. Its odour is agreeable, and the flavour strong when used alone, but it is generally mixed with Mocha.
The Mocha berry is very variable in form, size, and colour, but it is generally more round or compressed than other coffees; its odour is strong and agreeable, and very characteristic. Many of the seeds are often covered by the endocarp, while others are without the pellicle. A great number also are rounded, and the involuted edges form a deep furrow, differing from the ordinary one. The form of these seeds is due to the abortion of the other half of the fruit, which gives it this particular formation.