Losing Crop. 2 \ 5 



with, much as it may be lamented. On the other 

 hand, in hot weather, the berries are more likely 

 to dry up, and will then hold on to the trees for 

 a long time. If this has proceeded to only a 

 moderate extent, the berries being shrunken, but 

 still comparatively soft and moist inside, they may 

 be pulped after having been soaked in water for a 

 few hours, to prevent their being cut or broken in 

 the machine ; but if they are very dry, it will be 

 better not to attempt pulping them at all, but 

 rather just to complete the drying process, sending 

 them to the coast in this state, or after having had 

 them pounded out and " peeled " on the estate. 

 In either case they should be fully equal in value 

 to the best parchment of the season. 



On large estates, where the cherry has to be 

 carried a long distance to the store, it has been 

 found to effect a great saving of labour to lay down 

 iron spouting, through which, by means of water, to 

 run the coffee picked in distant fields down to the 

 store. 



The pipes are made of galvanized iron in eight- 

 feet lengths. The store works being, perhaps, at 

 the distance of a mile or more at the foot of the 

 hill, a receiving cistern is erected in a central situa- 

 tion in which water is available, and into this the 

 coffee is measured. A man is placed in the cistern 

 to regulate the quantity of cherry that is to go 



