September i, 1882.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



213 



Cofh'a znnfivebaria'. Lour., \rithout description is men- 

 tioned in Hiern's monogi-apli on African Cofl'ees. 

 Being desirous to ascertain the relative amount of tlie 

 cofi'ee alkaloid in the Lihcrian and coflee Ai-abica (Creole) 

 I have been so fortnnate as to obtain, under the sanction 

 of His Excellency the Governor, the assistance of Professor 

 McCarthy, Government Analyst, who has been kind 

 enough to furnish me mth the results of his analyses, 

 as follows : — 



Caffeine. Fat Ash Potash Phosphoric 



per cent, per ct. per ct. per ct. Acid, per ct. 



Liberian coffee... '77 C-625 4-25 2-13 -430 



C'offeaArabica...l-65 10-375 4-28 1'95 '455 



The difference in the respective percentages of alkaloids 

 and fat would point to the inferiority of the Liberian 

 coffee. It is well known, however, that much of the 

 flavom- of coffee depends on the aroma which is deve- 

 loped during the preparation and roasting. The excellence 

 of a coffee, as judged of by the popular taste, does not 

 so much depend on the oily matter and alkaloid present 

 as on the quality and quantity of the allniminous aud 

 other extractive substances with which the alkaloid and 

 fat occm'. Prof. McCarthy has promised to continue 

 his researches on the subject, and later I hope to be 

 able to publish the results of his analyses more in detail. 



In estimating the productiveness of the Liberian coffee, 

 or value of its yield on a given area as compared with 

 the same in cnffea arabica, due regard should be paid 

 to its habit, characteristics of gi-owth. and the way in 

 which it is affected by climate or locality. 



Quite recently an account has been given of trees in 

 Ceylon bearing at the rate of 25 cwt. aud more per acre.* 

 This, however, is proliably based on exceptional cases, 

 and is calculated to mislead. It appears quite possible 

 that a single tree might be met with to hear a quantity 

 (of oven dry coffee) at that " rate," allowing so many 

 trees to the acre ; but practically I do not tliirik such a 

 yield likely to occur per acre. But as to jneld i.e., weight 

 of liean on a given area : judging from what trees in the 

 gardens here have done, as also others in other parts of 

 the island on attaining their fifth year, the Liberian 

 coffee is a surer, and, therefore, a heavier cropper than 

 the " Creole " coffee — at least at the same or nearly the 

 same low level — and, if regard be had to the average 

 yield of this latter coffee per tree in Jamaica, French 

 Antilles, Bengal and even Ceylon, there remains a very 

 wide margin in favour' of Liberian coffee. 



The ordinary yield of coffee per acre in Ceylon is stated 

 to be 4 to 5 cwt., and the figiu'es given as export to- 

 gether with acreage of fruiting trees corroborate this, 

 and which per tree is under 5 oz I The same for Southern 

 India is barely 3 oz : for Jamaica and the French Antilles 

 scarcely so much. A Liberian coffee tree can therefore, 

 according to data already noted, be relieved of halt its 

 wonted crop at setting and still bear more to the area 

 thau what is now a good }'ield for cnff'ca arahica. 



The Tiinidad trees of Libcriau coffee have now borne, 

 as crop, in the foin'th year planted, and without much 

 gi-owth of secondaiy branches, one thousand to 1,200 

 bellies. Estimatiug at the rate of even 1,200 beans to 

 the pound, this gives a yield of 2 lb. per tree, t 



The present spread of the trees averages 8 feet, but 

 this ^\Tli m two or three years be ten or twelve ; especi- 

 ally it the trees are kept dowa to 6 feet high. This 

 yield, however may be regarded as a basis for estimat- 

 ing the jield per acre at whatever distance the trees 

 may stand apart — the gi'ound being covered. Standing 



♦ We feel quite certain that the trees were stated to 

 be exceptional. — Ed. 



t We shewed recently that in CcvIju 1 cwt. from .50 

 trees planted 7x8 would be a moderate average. That 

 yield per 50 trees woiUd be ve.ry nearly 2J lb. per tree, 

 whUe exceptional trees have yielded more than double 

 this quantity of clean coffee. ^Ed. 



at gi-eater distance (as indeed under ordinaiily favourable 

 conditions they must do) then- gi-owth and yield will of 

 course be individually aud proportionately greater. Thus 

 trees to the acre at 8 feet apart, 080, aud' at 2 lb. per tree' 

 give a yield of 13 cwt. This result, liowever, is liable 

 to reduction of, perhaps, one quarter under a more com- 

 plete (hying of the Ijoan, and it remains to be seen whe- 

 ther BO considerable a yieUf of beans can be smtained 

 hij the tree evenly over a number of years. I should say 



probably not, for I obseiwe that a moderate yield 



less thau the above — has often bad the effect on the 

 branches of preveutiug them growing food for fruit the 

 next year equal to that in bearing. 



There is a decided tendency to overcrop fiiut on all 

 the trees, and this in extensive cultivation wiU be a point 

 requu-ing much careful attention ; especially with youu" 

 trees. As a riile it can be judged of whether the tree 

 is over-cropped early in the autumu, by the .amount of 

 branch produced beyond that on which the fruit is borne. 

 By Nov. or Dec. it should be at least equal, for, it less' 

 the trees is obviously overtaxed with its present crop! 

 It is to be noted at the same time, however, that fruit 

 is often produced twice on the same wood, after an in- 

 terval of a season. 



A similarly stong disposition to over-crop occurs with 

 the robust viiriety known here as Hybrid Moca — second 

 only to Liberian for size and viogour and certainty of 

 setting. Two large specimens of these are recoveiinc 

 from a greatly diminished vitality resulting from ovei" 

 cropping two years successively. The remedy in respect 

 particularly of yoiuig trees of Liberian will of eom-se be 

 judicious thinning of the young fruits. 



This disposition to over-fruitfulness in the Liberian 

 coffee, and the effect observable after an interval of a 

 season, point to the conclusion that under extensive and 

 prolonged cultivation the trees wiU not as a rule go on 

 enlarging so indefinitely las for instance the cocoa or 

 other large trees, but reach their limit in ten or twelve 

 years, and then renovate gradually l)y breaking anew from 

 base of principle or immaries, which have become more 

 or less defunct by successive croppings. 



The process of pruning will thus l)e very simple and 

 what is here the easiest kiml of pruunmg to do. as well 

 as being the most suitable in trees of almost every kind, 

 viz. — removing back to the new break all the branches 

 which show markedly diminished vitality, /. c. those 

 which have borne all the fruit they were able to. 



Under this course the pyi-amidal from of the tree wiU 

 be veiy completely kept up, and probably such com- 

 pactness of height as to render the use of ladders, &c. 

 in gathering the crop, unnecessary to any gi'eat extent.' 

 I might here instanoe a special example of fruiting 

 Liberian coffee tree in the gardens. It is really five 

 ■years planted, and some eight months more from the 

 seed, but it lost a whole year from sickliness at starting, 

 and has since been prevented doing its best by a nei"h- 

 bouring nutmeg tree and other coffee trees. At this time 

 (January) it has 24 piimary branches healing 960 hemes; 

 34 secondaiy branches beaiing 2,040 benies — total 3,000. 

 Taking the beans so high as 1,400 to the pound, this 

 is a yield of over 4 lb. The tree is over 12 feet high, 

 but its spread is not over 8 feet. The height of the tree| 

 however, would make it necessaiy to allow it a spread 

 (or area) of 10 feet in estimating on its yield the rate 

 per acre, and which thus woiJd be over 17 cwt. This 

 tree has some sign of being overcropped, but it is not 

 mrrked. 



.\ well-defined portion of the Nm-sery Extension ground 

 is devoted to specimen Liberian Coffee trees planted with- 

 out manure in a poor stiff soil — except for trenching — and 

 under exposure. They ;\ill not be watered artificially 

 aud the most that will be done to them as i)rotectiou 

 against prolonged drought — which is more likely to be 

 hannful than the sim simply — will be to mulch their 

 root surface with such dry gi-.xss as might be ))rocured 

 in any part of the island. 



