Species of Coffee 29 



Coffea Lib erica, or Liberian coffee, develops Liberian 

 into high trees, being very rarely tapped, and Coff ee. 

 the cherries are picked by climbing the tree.t 

 Owing to the outspreading development of the 

 roots, the young trees from the nursery must 

 not be planted at a less distance than 25 feet 

 square. The seeds of Liberian coffee appear to 

 take longer to germinate than ordinary coffee. 

 Of well-ripened seeds under favourable condi- 

 tions, 96 to 98 per cent, will germinate and 

 94 per cent, will develop into fine trees. 



The average length of Arabian ripe coffee 

 cherries seldom exceed half an inch, whereas 

 Liberian cherries are nearly one inch long. 



The demand for this species of coffee is not 

 by any means so great as for the other species.* 

 Its cultivation is easier, but its treatment or 

 preparation for the market differs somewhat, 

 necessitating, if not actually special machinery, 

 at loast machines specially adapted, beginning 

 with the pulper and finishing with the grader. 



t The yield per tree (four year old) is reckoned to be 2 Ibs. clean coffee. 

 Older trees have given up to 4 Ibs. or at the rate of 17 cwts. per acre, when 

 the trees are planted at a distance of 10 ft. by 10 ft. 



* From comparative analysis made by the late Professor McCarthy, 

 Liberian coffee contains more potash than Arabian, but this latter is 

 richer in caffeine and fatty matter. 



Phosphoric 

 Caffeine. Fat. Ash. Potash. Acid. 



Liberian . '77 6'625 4'25 213 '430 



Arabian . l'C5 10'375 4'28 1'95 '455 



