Warmth and Humidity. 45 



indeed a hot climate will probably produce the 

 heaviest crops provided it be sufficiently humid. 

 Such a climate, however, will probably prove very 

 malarious and inimical to the health of the planter 

 and his labourers a drawback not to be disre- 

 garded ; while the growth of weeds will also 

 probably be so rapid, as to cause a considerable 

 increase of outlay in cultivation and abnormal 

 deterioration of the soil. So great is the influence 

 of climate upon the growth of weeds, that while in 

 some- districts two monthly weedings will be found 

 necessary, in other and colder situations one such 

 operation every five or six weeks will be found 

 sufficient. 



High, wet situations, again, prove in many 

 instances strongholds of the blight known as 

 "black bug," which may probably be taken as 

 some indication that the trees are deficient in 

 healthy tone and vigour. 



From the foregoing, it will be seen that the 

 questions of elevation and climate are so intimately 

 connected that it is impossible to treat them apart ; 

 elevation alone being capable of rendering cool and 

 temperate a climate within the " torrid zone " or 

 tropics and a temperate climate within the tropics 

 being indispensable to the successful cultivation of 

 coffee. This is so far fortunate for those engaged 

 in the pursuit, and is no doubt one of the principal 



