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During the recent famine year in which only about 

 half the usual amount of rain fellI was even more than 

 ever convinced of the advantages of short trees,, particularly 

 in old land. Those topped at three and a half feet suffered 

 the most, and many fine young trees lost three and four 

 pairs of primaries, while those topped at two and half feet 

 were busy making shoots, and daily increasing in vigor. 

 The further advantages of moderately sized trees are also 

 apparent in the fact that much more w ork can be carried 

 out by children, more especially in the matter of removing 

 suckers, and in crop-picking, one has absolute immunity 

 from that dreadful practice of the bend ing down and break- 

 ing of branches, The pleasure of sup e rintending work is 

 also greatly enhanced and the coolies are able to carry their 

 baskets without spilling and wasting the cherry and with 

 much greater ease and comfort to themselves. I have 

 adopted with very great success, the system of Topping, 

 which consists of removing the top and only one primary. 

 This I have found is by far the best principle for shade 

 coffee, where branches, dry bark, and rubbish are constantly 

 falling from the jungle trees. I find there is no such 

 liability to splitting as I found when, either only the top, 

 or the top and both primaries, were removed. After the 

 first full crop pruning is absolutely necessary, and even 

 sometimes sooner, but in the latter case, the knife should not 

 be allowed, any dry or useless wood being merely gently 

 removed with the hand. One frequently sees some of the 

 primaries on a young tree die back after producing merely 

 a lew stray berries, and if the knife is used, the probability 

 nay, the certainty, is that some careless cooly wi 11 whip the 

 whole branch off as it " looks bad." I would strongly recom- 

 mend that appearance be sacrificed for utility. Even 

 the most careful cannot tell how far the sap has receded 

 and for all purposes it is best merely gently to break the 

 dry part off, always being careful to hold the centre of the 

 little branch tightly, and use no force in the operation. 

 After the young shoots have made their appearance on the 



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