146 Coffee Planting. 



the more important that every precaution should 

 be taken to guard against " failures," that " sup- 

 plies " (as they are called) will seldom if ever do as 

 well as young plants put in virgin soil. Failures in 

 new land can be almost entirely guarded against 

 by honest pitting, careful planting, and a close 

 examination of the plants which are to be put in ; 

 subsequently their number may be kept at a mini- 

 mum by keeping the ground free from weeds, and 

 by good draining, manuring, and pruning. 



Notwithstanding every care, however, a certain 

 number of vacancies will occur from time to time, 

 and they must be filled up in the following manner : 

 The original pit , having been re-emptied, should 

 be enlarged an inch or two all round, and especially 

 in depth. This should be done in the dry weather, 

 the pit being left open for some time, and only 

 filled in when the time for planting has arrived. 

 In most cases it will be desirable to refill the pit 

 with the soil which has been taken out of it this 

 having probably, in the first instance, been surface 

 mould, though no doubt its organic constituents 

 will in great measure have been consumed if the 

 pit has been already occupied for some years. 

 Where the vacancy is in the midst of old trees, a 

 large pit is necessary to protect the new plant from 

 being interfered with by their roots ; indeed, it 

 might be well to isolate the young plant by making 



