viii Introduction. 



plished, however, I begin to realize how much 

 pleasure it has afforded me, by enabling me to recall 

 many agreeable memories of days and friends in the 

 past, of which I should not perhaps otherwise have 

 enjoyed another glimpse ; so that should the young 

 planters and others who may read the following 

 pages derive an equal proportion of practical bene- 

 fit, in the shape of information on the subjects treated 

 of, my time and labour will, altogether, have been 

 far more than compensated for. 



For the benefit of those who may ask, how one not 

 now engaged in coffee planting can claim to be 

 heard on the subject, I may explain, that I have 

 never ceased to follow with interest the movements 

 of an enterprise to which ten of the most impression- 

 able years of my life were exclusively devoted, and 

 with which I was directly connected for a much 

 longer period ; and there is perhaps no harm in 

 adding, that for some years it was a necessity with 

 me, as a regular contributor on this and kindred 

 subjects to the Indian press, to keep myself au 

 courant of all that occurred in connexion with them, 

 as time went on. 



Since 1865, other books on coffee-planting have, 

 I believe, issued from the press, notably that by 

 Mr. Sabonadiere ; none of these, however, have I 

 had the good fortune to meet with. Had the case 

 been otherwise, no doubt the present volume might 



