COFFEE. 107 



earth, covering them about half an inch thick with the same light 

 earth ; then plunge the pots into a moderate hot-bed of tanner's 

 bark, observing to refresh them often with water, as also to raise 

 the glasses in the heat of the day, to admit fresh air ; and in very 

 hot weather, it will be proper to shade the glasses with mats, other- 

 wise the earth in the pots will dry too fast, and prevent the vege- 

 tation of the seeds. It must be observed, that the taking off the 

 pulp of the berries, which has been by some people directed as abso- 

 lutely necessary, is a great mistake. When this plant is removed, 

 great care should be taken not to break or injure the roots, and 

 also to preserve the earth to the roots ; nor should they be kept 

 any time out of the ground, for if their fibres be suffered to dry, 

 they ate very subject to mould, and perish soon after. The soil 

 in which this tree has been observed to thrive best was com- 

 posed in the following manner, viz. one load of fresh, light, loamy 

 earth ; one load of rotten cow-dung, with half a load of sea sand : 

 these were well mixed together, and laid in a heap six months be- 

 fore it was used, in which space it was turned several times, the 

 better to incorporate the several parts. 



The coffee-tree has of late years been much cultivated in the 

 islands of America, both by the English and French, but the coffee 

 which has been thence brought to Europe has been very little 

 esteemed. This great difference in the goodness many have attri- 

 buted to the soil in which it grows, and therefore have supposed it 

 impossible for the inhabitants of the British islands ever to cultivate 

 this commodity to any real advantage; but this is certainly a mis- 

 take, as is affirmed by several persons of credit, who have resided 

 in these islands, who say, that the berries which they have gathered 

 from the trees and roasted themselves, were as well flavoured as 

 any of the coffee brought from Mocha ; so that the fault is in the 

 drying, and bringing over; for if in the drying of the berries they 

 be laid in rooms near the sugar-works, or near the house where the 

 rum is distilled, the berries will soon imbibe the surrounding efflu- 

 via, which will greatly alter their flavour. In like manner the 

 coftee brought in the same ships with rum and sugar, were the coffee 

 ever so good, would Lereby be entirely altered. 



With respect to the medicinal properties of coffee, it is in general 

 excitant and stimulating ; though we doubt whether it relaxes the 

 animal fibres, as has by some authors been supposed. Its more 



