MEN OF THE TREES 



man's development of the country there has been a 

 considerable advance in the productivity of the native 

 reserves, which come within the well known Highlands, 

 surrounded by the mountain groups of Kenya, Kiliman- 

 jaro and Elgon. 



The basis of white settlement is agriculture. Kenya's 

 soils are among the richest in the world; its coffee is 

 now world-renowned, being used on every continent. 

 The would-be settler has a varied choice of agricultural 

 operations, but he will find that coffee planting, by 

 reason of its perpetual interest, stands out as one of the 

 most attractive and entrancing of enterprises. 



The cult of coffee is an ancient one, and in origin is 

 African. The story is told of a religious order which, 

 about the fourth century, fleeing from persecution in 

 Egypt, settled in Southern Abyssinia. There, in the High- 

 lands, they carried on their good work, introducing 

 better methods of agriculture, and demonstrating by 

 their practical industry the fruits of the gospel which 

 they preached. One day, while herding a flock of goats, 

 one of the brethren was somewhat surprised and alarmed 

 to find a number of his charges frisking about in a man- 

 ner which was abnormal even for goats. With visions of 

 devil-possession, and many other dire calamities, he 

 crossed himself and tried the efficacy of prayer, assuredly 

 believing that before nightfall the bewitched flock 

 would recover. By evensong, however, the goats were, if 

 anything, even more lively, refusing to go to rest in their 

 fold. For days the untoward behaviour of the monk's 



no 



