206 Coffee Planting. 



The next thing to be considered is making the 

 drying grounds, or " Barbecues,'.' as they are fre- 

 quently termed. These may be prepared in various 

 ways. Some planters simply level a large piece of 

 ground adjoining or around the store, laying down 

 coir matting when there is coffee to be spread out 

 to dry ; others look upon this as too primitive and 

 inexpensive a method, and prefer frames of wood- 

 work, over which matting of gunny or coir is 

 spread ; while others use trays some six or seven 

 feet long, and two feet wide, of the same materials, 

 with or without wheels, and these certainly have 

 the recommendation of being quickly got under 

 cover on the sudden appearance of a squall of rain. 



Barbecues, again, can be made with macadam 

 several inches deep, covered with a layer of gravel 

 and lime, with the further addition of a smooth 

 coating of mortar. The great drawback to this 

 kind of ground, however, is that although very nice 

 when new, the surface is constantly becoming 

 broken, and as soon as this takes place, it is no 

 better than the natural ground, inasmuch as it 

 can no longer be used without coir matting being 

 spread over it. Some sort of asphalte preparation, 

 similar to those used for the London streets, would 

 no doubt be proof against this objection, but most 

 of these compositions have a tendency to soften 

 and become odorous under the influence of heat, 



