58 



a year older (see fig. 23). Both plantations looked 

 well and the measurements of the trees appeared to 

 be in no way inferior to those on a neighbouring' estate 

 which were not planted between young" coffee. 



In Java and Sumatra and at present also in the 

 Malay States Robusta coffee is used more and more 

 as a catch crop between rubber. Of all varieties ol 

 coffee, Robusta is certainly the most suitable for use 

 as a catch crop. In many respects it is preferable to 

 Liberia ; for the latter only comes into full production 

 after four or five years. This is so much the more 

 important as in the ordinary way coffee must be 

 cleared out after about five years for the shade of 

 the Hevea grows too heavy and the coffee becomes 

 unproductive (see fig. 24). From the Robusta therefore, 

 two or three full crops can be taken, from the Liberia 

 only one. ( ] ) 



The crop is much larger and the gathering and 

 preparation come out cheaper; the principal advantage 

 of Robusta as a catch crop is, that it comes early 

 into production, after two years it gives a small crop, 

 and after three years it is in full production. There 

 are therefore the two advantages that the Robusta 

 comes into production earlier and matures better than 

 Liberia. 



In this respect we may refer to the planting of young 

 rubber in old coffee gardens, a practice which is to be met 

 with in the Malay States and frequently in Java and Suma- 

 tra. In these cases the old coffee is still kept as a catch 



( l ) For further particulars, the reader is referred to an article in 

 Tcysinannia 1909: "Robusta as a catch crop for Hevea". 



