ENEMIES AND REMEDIES. 83 



into or cross each other, and if two or more secondaries 

 spring from one spot the strongest only must be retained ; 

 where a gap occurs tertiaries may be trained to free it in 

 the same way. When practicable, the bushes should be 

 handled twice before the crop, and the pruning should be 

 commenced immediately after the crop and finished before 

 the blossom comes out, but should this be impossible, it 

 must be suspended during the three or four days of blos- 

 som-time, and then be carried to completion. When it is 

 evident that the crop on a tree will exhaust it if allowed 

 to mature, a portion of it must be sacrificed by pruning. 

 The loss thus occasioned is more apparent than real, as 

 in every prolific season much fruit is wasted for lack of 

 labor, and the trees are unreasonably overtaxed and bear 

 poorly for some time afterwards. Everything should be 

 done to insure regular and even crops ; the cuttings 

 should be trenched in among the plants as manure, and 

 no branch should be allowed to bear more than two or 

 three crops before removal. Regular and systematic 

 pruning is one of the first essentials to successful and 

 profitable Coffee culture. Where Coffee plantations have 

 been neglected on this score they must be very gradually 

 reduced to proper condition by sawing out the branches 

 and opening up the centre of the trees in the first year, 

 and trimming out about half the remaining wood in the 

 second year. 



The profits derived from healthy Coffee growing are 

 so large that were it not for the many enemies which 

 hamper the planter's struggles and stultify his best efforts, 

 his occupation would be one of the most profitable in the 

 world. But as it is he has to contend with numerous 

 foes, and the more lowly and minute forms have proved 



