I20 NOTES ON COFFEE GROWING. 



tage of non-germinating seeds had been comparatively small ; 

 out of 214 beans 183 sprouted. This should cause no surprise, 

 as the seed had travelled a long way. and while the packing was 

 excellent, as is usually the case with Messrs. Vilmorin Andrieux, 

 of Paris, it was not strange to find that a few beans had been 

 affected thereby. Two months later, in February, they were 

 transplanted to paraffin tins filled with the same kind of earth, 

 and none perished as a result of this operation. It was just at 

 this time that I was able to appreciate how they benefited from 

 the watering administered. Placed in a greenhouse made 

 of reeds only.' through which a few not too violent sunrays were 

 allowed to filter, the plants became in a few months worthy of 

 admiration for the luxuriant colour of the leaves. 



I noticed that in four or five plants only a kind of rust 

 stained the leaves and made them wit'.icr. I believed it to be what 

 according to Jumelle is called in America " mancha de liierro," 

 and is due to the Stilhum Flavidufii. 



The leaves of two other [ilants bleached through some cause 

 unknown to me. Those affected by rust were sprayed with 

 Paris Green, but uo satisfactory results ensued. 



One year later they were definitely planted in a previ(nisly 

 sheltered and prepared site. The i>lace chosen la\' close to a 

 thicket of acacias. The ]:)lants were ])laced at a ili>tance of 

 4 metres from each other and protected ])y small wooden -tum])3 

 with wide, deep ditches well manured. The plants did nut feel 

 the change, and they commenced to develop, ithough slowly. 

 Watering was administered as frequently as condition> required. 

 Eighteen months later the plants showed an average height of 

 T.io metres, and some were bearing fruit. 



The beans, at least those I saw, had not degenerated, an.l 

 were perfectly equal to the mother seed. 



At present a small plantation of Sao Thome Coffee is being 

 made at the Umbeluzi Experimental Farm. There are Soo plants 

 sheltered in greenhouses made of reeds, which permit of the sun 

 passing through, and they have a superb appearance. The site 

 for the plantation was very carefully selected, and will receive 

 the plants in quincunx. I am unable to express an opinion con- 

 cerning this variety, as I found it already in its present condition. 

 I am now suj^erintending the plantation, but not until it is made 

 shall I be able to gather sufficient data to form an opinion. 



Diseases of the Coffee Plant. 



Unfortunately there is a great variety of diseases, these 

 being in most cases pernicicus to the plant. Firsit come those 

 wbich are caused by insects, such as XUotresus quadnipes. 

 According to Jumelle it is the female that bores into tlie plant 

 down to the medulla, where, dividing it into galleries, it deposits 

 the eggs. Ceniiostoma Caffcclla is caused by a larva which wraps 

 itself up in the leaves. Some diseases are caused by a bug, such 



