Planting 53 



best for growing coffee. This, however, must 

 be cleared and got ready for receiving the 

 young plants. There is no established rule 

 giving the number of trees to be planted on any 

 given area. The quality of the soil with the 

 topographical situation of the plantation and 

 the individual notions of the planter all have 

 their influence in determining this question. 

 It may be said that the usual number will vary 

 between 500 to 1,500 plants to the acre.* The 

 distance apart should be sufficient for the 

 lateral development of the plant and no more, 

 say six to seven feet all round, according to the 

 nature of the ground. The planting should be 

 effected in even rows to facilitate the picking 

 of the cherries during the crop. The distance 

 above mentioned between the rows of the 

 plants, besides being the correct thing, enables 

 the " Peon " or native labourer to handle 

 freely his "machete" when cleaning the 

 plantation from weeds. Holes of 15 in. to 

 18 in. diameter by 18 in. deep should be dug 

 to receive the plants from the nursery, and the 



* Usually planted at the following distances apart, referring to 

 Arabian coffee: 



Distance Number of trees 



apart. per acre. 



5 by 6 feet, 1,452 



5 by 5 1,440 



5i by 6 , I j32 o 



e by 6 , i )2 io 



