308 Coffee Planting. 



coffee property are dependent may be classed 

 under the three headings of climate, soil, and cul- 

 ture ; and I have long been of opinion, that of the 

 three the first named is, perhaps, the most im- 

 portant. 



I believe the majority of old planters will be 

 found to agree, that coffee requires a moderately 

 zvarm climate, possessing considerable atmospheric 

 humidity. If such is the case, we have only our- 

 selves to blame, if, when having planted it in 

 situations where these conditions are totally want- 

 ing, we spend our labour for nought. And yet how 

 often has this been done ! Entirely ignoring the 

 necessity of warmth, estates are opened at eleva- 

 tions with a temperature verging on frost, and 

 where the plant can barely live in a state of 

 perpetual barrenness ; or, overlooking the equal 

 importance of a moderate temperature and plenty 

 of moisture, we domicile the plant hopefully on arid 

 plains, where, during months, no drop of rain falls 

 to mitigate the effects of a scorching sun. One 

 might suppose that under the last-named circum- 

 stances the plant would at least be provided with 

 some sort of shade protection, but (notwithstanding 

 that coffee is known to be a shade-loving plant in a 

 state of nature) this has seldom been done. In 

 fact, instead of endeavouring to copy the arrange- 

 ments of nature, the object too often seems to have 



