16 



lose many leaves and off-shoots through the disease. It is also 

 very difficult to remove continually the young off-shoots, 

 which unceasingly shoot out at the foot of the trees if 

 the tops are lopped. Nevertheless, here and there this 

 method is still followed. 



Manure is only used in barren grounds and then 

 most often ai'ound languishing trees. Stable-manure or dry 

 leaves are placed with care so as not to touch the roots. A 

 trench of a foot deep is dug, the manure is put in and 

 covered with soil. 



§ 7. The crop and the preparation. 



At the end of 2 to 3 years already the tree com- 

 mences to bear fruit. However, only after 5 to 6 years 

 are abundant crops gathered, which on an average continue 

 until the 15*^'^ year. Plantations of 40 years old and more are 

 found, but this is an exception. The coffee-tree blossoms 

 in the beginning of the rain-season; the crop-gathering takes 

 place about six or seven months after the blossoming. 



The fruit is prepared in the ordinary way or in that 

 known as „the West Indian way". The latter method is 

 at present mostly adopted, because the coffee prepared in 



» 



this way is most sought on the European markets. 



The first method consists of letting the fruit dry in 

 the sun and taking off the covering by beating them with 

 a pestle, or by letting them pass between wooden or iron 

 disks. After this the coffee is cleared by means of a fan 



