48 PLANTING IN UGANDA 



CHAPTER VI. 



Nurseries 



Propagation. With all three plants propaga- 

 tion by seed is the quickest and easiest method. 

 Cuttings of Para and Coffee may be rooted, but the 

 process is slow and uncertain at the best, and 

 scarcely practicable at all on a large scale. Coffee 

 seeds germinate in about 50 days, Para in 21 days, 

 and Cocoa in 14 days. As Cocoa and Para seeds 

 quickly lose their vitality, they should be sown as 

 soon as obtained. Coffee seed can safely be kept 

 several months if dried naturally and slowly. Half 

 dry coffee seed will germinate more quickly than 

 either quite new or quite dry seed. A pound of 

 dry coffee seeds contains 2,500 seeds. 



The grafting method is receiving great attention 

 from Cocoa growers in the West Indies and other 

 countries, and is found to be a sure way of pro- 

 pagating an absolutely pure stock. Cocoa cross- 

 fertilises very readily, therefore a stock propa- 



