CULTIVATION OF COFFEE IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES. 53 



mature its crop. It has been effectually proved that 

 draining to prevent wash and waste of soil, and a system 

 of manuring while the trees are still young and vigorous, 

 tend to prolong the age of estates. There is no doubt 

 that, under such a system, coffee-trees may have as long 

 an existence as other evergreens ; excepting, of course, 

 such contingencies as over-bearing, attacks of grubs, the 

 tap-root coming in contact with rock, or becoming rotten 

 from swampy soil ; all of which bring the tree to premature 

 decay. For that destructive scourge, the coffee-bug, the 

 following remedy has been tried with great success : namely, 

 to apply saltpetre in a finely-powdered state, dusted 

 over the tree when wet with rain or dew. 



Concerning manures much has been written; but it is found 

 by experience that those are the best which are in general use : 

 these consist of bone-dust, poonac, guano, lime, salts, wood- 

 ashes, burnt clay, pulp, and last, but not least, cattle-manure. 

 Composts should be applied above the tree in semicircular 

 holes ; they should be filled in with any prunings or vegetable 

 matter at hand, and then covered by the loose top soil; 

 the new earth from the holes should be used to cover the 

 roots. The earth over the manure should be well trodden 

 down, to prevent its being washed away by heavy rains, 

 or turned up by careless weeders. The next process 

 consists of picking, curing, and despatching the crop for 

 market. When coolies are turned out for gathering or 

 picking they are provided with what is called in planter- 

 parlance a gunny-bag, holding from two to three bushels; 

 they have also smaller sacks fastened round their waist; 

 into these they first collect the berries, and then fill the 

 larger vessels. When fully ripe, the sooner the coffee is 

 pulped the better, otherwise it heats and the color of the 

 parchment is spoiled. In dry weather it is sometimes 



