214 Cff ee Planting. 



who are bad pickers, and who, not being blessed 

 with a " Mootamah " and her progeny to make up 

 for their deficiencies, think it hard they should be 

 left in the rear ; it will therefore be wise to pick 

 out such men for curing and store work, or for 

 cutting grass for the cattle-sheds, &c., and thus by 

 turning their capabilities to the best account, to 

 guard against murmuring* and discontent. 



In consequence of this pro rata system of wages 

 in crop time, the coolies are sadly tempted to go 

 off and choose spots for themselves to pick in, 

 where the crop is thickest and where they can fill 

 their bags in the shortest time ; it is to the impera- 

 tive interest of the planter, however, to see that the 

 whole estate is gone over in due order, field after 

 field from beginning to end, and so on the second 

 time, and the third ; otherwise, it will inevitably 

 happen that some parts will be left too long with- 

 out picking, and crop will be lost. Consequently 

 all such erratic, desultory proceedings must be 

 vigilantly guarded against. 



When the crop is large and the hands to gather 

 it in comparatively few, and especially if the 

 season is wet, the berries are apt, when over ripe, to 

 burst and drop their contents, or to fall bodily 

 themselves off the trees. Should the ground be 

 free from weeds, much of this crop may be re- 

 covered, but otherwise the loss must be put up 



