164 



IRISH GARDENING 



Planting in Uganda. 



By E. Brown, F.L.S. 



The flow of latex lasts about ten minutes. 

 Each Rubber tree five years of age will give 1 lb. 

 of dry rubber in the year. A pound of rubber 

 means 5 pints of latex. The yield of each tree 

 at one tapping is thus ^ of a pound of rubber, 

 or ', of a pint of latex. 



The latex is brought to the factory in a liquid 

 form by the tapper. At this stage it exactly 

 resembles milk. 



Treatment at the factory consists of coagu- 

 lation of the latex by means of acids. The 

 coagulated soft rubber is then passed between 

 rollers which press it into sheets or ribbons. 

 At this stage the rubber is still perfectly white. 

 The sheets are then hting up to dry in a dark, 

 airy room. Drying takes two months. The 

 rubber is then changed in colour to a pale amber, 

 and is transparent. In this condition it is 

 shipped to the market. 



Toffee (Coffea arabica). 



The Coffee seeds are sown in beds thickly 

 together, and watered and shaded until germina- 

 tion takes place. This takes 50 days. As soon 

 as germinated and before the cotyledons unfold, 

 the seedlings are pulled up and pricked off into 

 other beds 6 inches apart. Here they remain 

 until ready for planting, which is at nine months 

 from sowing the seed. 



The land for Coffee is cleared in the same 

 way as for Para. The distance of planting is 

 8 feet by 6 feet, or about 900 trees per acre. 



Upkeep work consists of regular weeding, 

 pruning and the topping of trees at 6 feet. The 

 latter is to ensure the crop being within 

 reach of the pickers. 



The Coffee tree produces its first ripe crop ;:.t 

 two and a half years from seed, and subsequenl ly 

 yields two crops annually. The berries when 

 ripe are deep-red in colour, slightly smaller than 

 a cherry, and contain two beans surrounded 1>\ 

 a sweet pulp. A tree usually flowers before the 

 previous crop has been harvested. The flowers 

 are pure white, similar to a Jasmine flower in 

 shape. They are produced in great abundance, 

 each on a short stalk in the axils of the leaves, 

 and are deliciously scented. All the trees on a 

 plantation come into flower at once, after rain, 

 and in twenty -four hours the display of bloom is 

 over. While it lasts it is a glorious sight. 



Picking has to be regularly attended to during 

 the .season to harvest the berries as soon as they 

 are ripe. The preparation entails a considerable 

 amount of machinery. 



The first operation is that known as pulping. 



This consists of the removal of the outer red 

 jacket, and is accomplished!)}' a machine which 

 has a corrugated drum, which in revolving tears 

 off the jacket and separates it from the coffee 

 bean. A stream of water is constantly running 

 through the machine with the coffee to keep the 

 drum clear of beans and pulp. 



The next operation is that of fermenting. The 

 object of this process is the loosening of the sweet 

 pulp surrounding the beans. Without fermenta- 

 tion this substance is difficult of removal. The 

 time required for fermentation is twelve hours. 

 The coffee beans are then washed well and are 

 ready for drying. Drying can be carried on in 

 the sun or by means of artificial hot air driers. 

 It is a long process without artificial aid. 



When the Coffee is completely dry it has to be 

 again put through a machine for the removal 

 of the parchment shell covering the bean. This 

 process is known as peeling and polishing. 

 From this machine comes the actual bean as 

 ready for roasting, but it has still to be run 

 through another machine for the purpose of 

 grading. This machine sorts out the beans into 

 four grades or sizes, and they are then ready for 

 shipment. 



Cocoa (Theobroma Cacao). 



Cocoa seeds, like Para seeds, quickly lose their 

 vitality, and have to be sown as soon as pro- 

 cured. They germinate in fourteen days. They 

 are sown in beds as in the case of Para, and like 

 them are subsequently put into Banana pots. 

 Shading has to be well attended to, as young 

 Cocoa are quickly ruined by exposure to the sun. 



The land for a Cocoa plantation has to be 

 carefully chosen. Cocoa will not thrive in a 

 ' position exposed to winds. The soil must be 

 very good and drainage perfect. 



The land is cleared in the same way as for 

 Para. As soon as possible it is then planted up 

 with Bananas to provide shade for the young 

 Cocoa 



The young Cocoa which should be at least 

 six months old. are planted between the Bananas 

 at distances of 13 feel bj L3 feet, or 25Q per acre. 

 If the Bananas have been planted six months 

 they will probably provide sufficient shade, but 

 if they do not a temporary shade made of Palm 

 leaves is erected over each plant, and this is 

 kept in position until the Bananas are sufficiently 

 advanced 



Upkeep work as in the case of Para and 

 Coffee, has now to lie maintained for five years, 

 when the Cocoa commences to hear. 



The Cocoa tree bears its Mowers in bunches 

 on the main stem and old wood of the tree. The 

 Mowers are small and insignificant, in contrast 

 to the large heavy fruit. 



