Coffea Arabica

The coffee plant, which belongs to the

_Cinchonaceae_ and is a native of Abyssinia, but is now cultivated

in many tropical regions. It can not be successfully cultivated in

a climate where the temperature, at any season of the year, falls

below 55 degrees, although it will exist where the temperature all

but falls short of freezing, but a low fall of temperature greatly

retards the ripening of the fruit. Ripe fruits are often gathered

from plants in the extreme south of Florida. The beans or seeds

are roasted before use, and by this process they gain nearly one

half in bulk and lose about a fifth in weight. Heat also changes

their essential qualities, causing the development of the volatile

oil and peculiar acid to which the aroma and flavor are due. The

berries contain theine; so also do the leaves, and in some

countries the latter are preferred.