"Lay." 57 



been partially at least washed down and deposited 

 on it, forming in course of time a deep rich loam. 

 There is also the advantage that the soil thus made is 

 retained, while should there be sufficient declivity to 

 admit of the superfluous moisture escaping, nothing 

 will remain to be desired. One will sometimes 

 come upon a tolerably level stretch of land along 

 the banks of some mountain stream, and this would 

 be a particularly desirable formation, any danger of 

 stiffness of soil arising from want of drainage being 

 thus obviated. Marshy land is quite fatal to the 

 coffee plant, while a soil stiff and heavy in wet weather 

 will be hard and impervious in the dry season, either 

 condition being equally unfavourable. 



An estate formed by the opposite sides of a gently 

 sloping valley, provided the outlets are not towards 

 the unfavourable aspects before described, would 

 promise well, as each side would shelter the other, 

 and the stream which would in all probability flow 

 down the centre might be made available for curing 

 operations. 



One splendid property with which I was ac- 

 quainted, consisted of a number of knolls or 

 mounds rising from a broad plain, extending along 

 the foot of a mountain slope and bounded on the 

 other side by a running stream. Its great produc- 

 tiveness was always ascribed, as in great measure 

 due to this remarkable conformation, the soil, as 



