1 72 Coffee Planting. 



mous chisel, haft and blade being of one solid piece 

 of iron ; the blade should be about 6 inches square, 

 and the handle 18 inches long, having a broad head 

 or knob at the end. The block to be operated on 

 having been placed upright on end, this implement 

 is held in position by one workman while the 

 second deals it a smart stroke on the head with a 

 heavy mallet. 



Each shingle should be from a quarter to one- 

 third of an inch in thickness, and from three to five 

 inches in width. After being split off they are 

 handed over to be finished, all inequalities being 

 removed as far as possible. They should then be 

 stacked in a shed (or at any rate in some shady, 

 protected spot), and, if made of green wood, allowed 

 to season for some months before being used ; 

 unless this is carefully attended to they will soon 

 crack and go to pieces, when exposed to alternate 

 rain and sunshine on the roof. Six practised hands 

 ought to be able to prepare 600 shingles per 

 day. Shingle-making, however, is one of those 

 works which should always be done by contract 

 if possible. 



Considerable care and judgment are required in 

 putting on shingles. Each must be perforated with 

 the gimlet 3 inches from the upper end, and nailed 

 to the reaper with a small i^ inch nail or " sprig." 

 Should the shingle split in being bored, it must 



