COFFEE-TREE. 69 



sirable for the green-house or parlor. The branches are 

 opposite, gradually diminishing in length as they near the 

 top. Leaves opposite with short feeble stalks, oblong, ovate, 

 acuminate and entire, five inches long, dark green and glos- 

 sy.. The flowers white, sweet scented, and in groups in the 

 axil of the upper leaves, and divided into lanceolate pointed 

 segments. Stamens project above the tube ; the fruit round- 

 ish, umbellate at the top, changing from green to red, con- 

 taining two seeds, which are the berries now so extensively 

 used as a beverage. 



Coffee was first cultivated at Batavia where the first ber- 

 ries were sent in 1690 ; from this place a plant was sent to 

 the Governor of the Dutch East India Company in Am- 

 sterdam, but the plant did not succeed so well as expected, 

 the climate being too cold. In 1718 it was sent to Surinam, 

 a Dutch settlement in the West Indies ; the climate being 

 more congenial it did well, and propagated fast from seed. 

 From this place it was introduced into the different tropical 

 Islands, and soon became established as an article of com- 

 merce as well as luxury. The fruit raised by parlor cult- 

 ure does not contain so fine a flavor as the berries imported, 

 setting aside the value of the berries, their beautiful appear- 

 ance which are abundant at all times, and the fragrance of 

 the flowers, make these shrubs highly ornamental and de- 

 sirable. The Coffee is easily raised from seed, and will 

 bear fruit the third year if planted in a rich sandy loam in 

 pots well drained, and watered freely, and in winter guard- 

 ed against frost. 



