IvUDOU'II I). Anstkai) oOl 



The first table shows the actual coiupositioti of the fresh berries as 

 regards the constituents named, while the second table shows the 

 composition of the ash, that is the mineial part in each sample, it being 

 chiefly this mineral matter with which we are concerned. In July the 

 berries were very small and it required 72 of them to weigh one ounce. 

 In December the berries were fully developed but still green or only 

 jnst yellowing. At this stage the beans are developed and if pulped 

 yield good coffee. In practice the berries are allowed to ripen and 

 develop sugar, turning red in the process, in order to facilitate pulping 

 and subsequent fermentation of the pulp adhering to the beans which 

 enables the latter to be washed clean, the fermentation process having 

 no effect upon the quality of the actual coffee bean. The last column 

 in the tables is the analysis of the ripe berries as picked for pulping. 



These analyses show that there is a markedly steady increase of 

 potash content throughout the period of growth, and from this it is 

 concluded that potash in an available form is needed all the time. 

 The phosphoric acid content appears to be a constant quantity at first 

 with a maximum about October after which it declines, hence it seems 

 likely that this constituent is needed in an available form chiefly in 

 the beginning of the season. The nitrogen content increases steadily 

 throughout the period of growth and keeps pace with the increase of 

 organic matter. 



On these results a series of manurial experiments have been based 

 and are now being carried out, but I should like here to especially call 

 attention to the moisture content of the berries during their growth 

 and development. 



From July to December when the berries are fully developed in 

 size there is a rapid and regular decrease in the amount of moisture in 

 the berries. It falls from 87-13 % in July to 71-54 % in October 

 and 65-77 % in December. 



This confirms Mr H. B. Guppy's results. In his recent book Studies 

 in Seeds and Fruits, he states that immature fruits contain more 

 water than mature fruits, and that in the living plant or its part the 

 decrease in the percentage of water is due to the fact that during the 

 building up processes involved in growth the solids increase more 

 rapidly than the liquid constituents. 



During the ripening process, however, the moisture content increases 

 by nearly one per cent., and this would appear to be a critical stage in 

 the history of the berry. 



Much more work is needed upon this point, but it is significant that 



