COFFEE 



I6 5 



these usually grow from seed which fell too early, and 

 so were lost in the picking. The trees which grow from 

 these seed will probably also shed many seed as they 

 ripen, and this is very undesirable. 



The seed can be planted in bamboo tubes, or in seed 

 beds. If seed beds are used, they should be of rich soil, 



Km. no. Coffee plantation in Brazil 



made very fine and soft to a depth of at least 25 cm. 

 The seed may be planted 2 cm deep, and 15 cm apart in 

 each direction. The seed bed must be kept moist, and 

 this is usually impossible unless it is kept shaded. Coffee 

 seed is very slow to germinate, sometimes taking more 

 than two months. During this time and until the young 

 trees are transplanted, the beds must be kept free of 

 weeds. 



