514 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
they require being to keep them clean from weeds, and the 
third year they generally yield a small crop, and by the 
eighth year are in full bearing. At this age they have 
grown about 5 feet high; they are then topped, and are not 
allowed to get any higher, otherwise it would be difficult to 
gather the fruit. They are regularly pruned once a year, 
something in the way of currant-bushes, but that they have 
one stem and the branches radiated. The berries are gathered 
ripe, and immediately undergo the process of pulping (sepa- 
rating the mucilage from the seeds, which is sweet, but is 
considered unwholesome). This must be done before fer- 
mentation. The beans are then dried in the sun, on floorings 
of cement, properly drained, and after several days' turning 
and exposure to the sun, they are ready for grinding, fo 
detach the inner shellas well as the silverskin. "This is done 
in a mill, similar to that used for grinding apples for cyder in 
Kent. After pulping, the seed is never allowed to become wet 
again, as the quality is deteriorated by rain falling on it. The 
next process is winnowing and hand-picking it into the dif- 
ferent qualities. An elevation of between 3,000 and 5,000 
feet is considered best for coffee; above that the trees thrive 
well, but do not produce any fruit. It is questionable if 
much of the land on which coffee thrives could be applied 
. profitably to any other purpose ; I have often seen extensive 
fields, looking well, on little else than bare rocks, at an angle 
of 75 degrees. I reached Resource in the evening, and was 
kindly received by Mr. Brooks. He promised to accompany 
me the next day to the Moorce's Gap district, an elevation of 
about 5,500 feet. 'The approach to Resource is through a 
beautiful avenue of Citrons, which were laden with their 
golden fruit, and had a very rich appearance. I found Mr. 
Brooks had paid much attention to collecting plants, parti- 
cularly Ferns, many thriving well in his well-managed garden. 
17th.—I made an excursion to John Crow Ridge. Here 
also Coffee is grown nearly to the summit of the mountains, 
which, like the Blue Mountain Peak, are covered with & 
forest of Yacca and Tree-ferns. I obtained specimens 
